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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


?3  VreST  MAIN  STREET 

V<«STER,N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-450  J 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproduction    /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


D 


n 


Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagde 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  peiliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmies. 


^ 


L'institut  a  microfilmd  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 


D 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pelliculdes 


I    ~|/ Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Lid    Pages  ddcolordes,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 


n 


Pages  d'ltached/ 
Pages  ddtachies 


r~y  Showthrough/ 
L—l   Transparence 


n 

D 
D 
D 


Qualit'>>  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  j>^i^g':ile  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film^es  d  nouveau  de  facon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


e'" 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires: 


Wrinkled  pages  may  film  slightly  out  of  focus. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

' 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

1 

v/ 

12X 

16X 

SOX 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  film«d  h«r«  has  bMn  r«produc«cl  thank* 
to  the  ganarotity  of : 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


L'axamplaira  filmi  f ut  raproduit  grica  A  la 
giniroait*  da: 

University  of  British  CoIup**^"!  Library 


Tha  imagaa  appearing  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
poaaibia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  laglbility 
c^  tha  original  copy  and  in  Icaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacif icationa. 


Laa  imagaa  auivantaa  ont  ttt  raproduitaa  avac  la 
plua  grand  aoin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  Taxampiaira  illmi,  at  an 
conformity  avac  laa  conditiona  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copiaa  in  printed  paper  covera  ara  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  end  ending;  on 
the  iaat  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatreted  im{::rea- 
aion,  or  the  beck  cover  when  epproprif«te.  All 
other  originel  copiee  ere  filmed  beginning  on  the 
firat  pege  with  a  printed  or  illuatreted  imprea- 
aion,  and  ending  on  the  leet  pege  with  a  printed 
or  illuatreted  impreaaion. 


Lea  axemplairea  originaux  dont  la  couvorture  en 
per  tier  eat  imprimie  aont  filmte  en  commen^ant 
par  la  premier  plet  et  en  terminent  toit  per  la 
darniire  pege  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreaaion  ou  d'illustration,  acit  par  la  aacond 
plat,  aaion  le  ca*.  Toua  la*  autre*  exemplaira* 
originaux  aont  filmte  an  commen9ent  par  la 
pramiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreaaion  ou  d'iliuatration  et  en  terminent  par 
la  darniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  leat  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
ahell  contein  the  aymboi  — ^  (meening  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  aymboi  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  appliaa. 


Un  dea  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
darnilira  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  aelon  le 
caa:  le  symbole  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE".  le 
symbole  y  signifie  "FIN". 


Meps,  pletes,  cherts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  retios.  Those  too  Isrge  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  ara  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  end  top  to  bottom,  es  meny  fremes  as 
required.  The  following  diegrema  illuatrate  the 
method: 


Lea  csrtes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  teux  de  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
raproduit  en  un  aaul  clichA.  il  est  f ilmA  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droits, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  an  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaira.  Lea  diagrammos  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


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CONDENSEP  VIEW  01 


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SCRIFTUSAL,  HISTORICAL.  ACTU«^^^>«)Bi|^.A«i[« ; 
MAJSIFESXAIHOHS 


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"^flokis  0n  ^fintwalism. 


BELA    MARSH,    No.    25    CORNHIII, 

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RevelationSj  &-€.,  by  A.  J.  Davia, 
the  Cliiirvoyant 

The  Ortat  Harmonia,  Vol.  I.— 
The  Physician,  by  saniu  .... 

The  Great  Harmonia,  Vol.  II.— 
The  Teacher 

The  Great  Harmonia, Vol.  III.— 
The  Seer 

The  Philosophy  of  Spiritual  In- 
tercourse.   A. .).  1) 

Sequel  to  do 

The  Philosophy  of  Special  Prov- 
idences—  A  Vision.    A.  .1.  1).  .   . 

The  Harmouial  Kan,  by  "'ivis 

The  Approaching  Crisis:  bcin;; 

a  lleview  of  Dr.  Bushuull's  recent 
Lectures  ou  Supeniaturalisin.  by 
Davis 

Light  from  the  Spirit  World. 
Kev.  Cliark'S  Ilammond,  Mcdiuiu  . 

The  Pilgrimage  of  Thos.  Paine, 
written  tlirougli  C.  llaimniml,  Me- 
dium. Muslii),  'u^'.,  I'Jc.  postage  ; 
I'-'PL>-    •   • 

Elements  of  Spiritual  Philoso- 
phy.    It.  •'•  Aiuliltv,  Mediuui   .    . 

Reicheubach's  Dynamics  of 
Mesmerism 

Fueumatology,  by  StillinR.  Kdited 
by  Uev.  liuoi','e  Itusli 

Celestial  Telegraph,   by   L.  a. 

Calia^'iiiu' 

Voices  from  the  Spirit  World. 
Isaac  I'nsl,  Mcdiuiu 

Night  Side  of  Nature -- Ghosts 
and  Ghost  Seers.  Hy  fi'tliariue 
Crowe • 

Gregory's  Lectures  on  Animal 
Magnetism, 

The  Clairvoyant  Family  Phy- 
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Sorcery  and  Magic,  by  Wright . 


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Philosophy  of  the  Spirit  World, 

Hammond,     

The  Spirit  Minstrel ;  •>■  collection 
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The  Religion  of  Manhood,  by 

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Spirit  Manifestations :  being  an 

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Spiritual  Instructor :  cmtaiuina; 
Facts  and  tlie  Philosoj.liy  of  Spirit- 
ual Intercourse 

The  Spiritual  Teacher,  by  spnits 

of  the  Si.\tli  Circle.  11.  V.  Ambler, 
Medium 

The  Macrocosm  and  Microcosm, 

or  the  Universe  Without  and  tlie 
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bough.     Pajier  lidund,  50c.;  nmslin 

The  Philosophy  of  Mysterious 
Agents,  Human  and  Mun- 
dane, or  tlie  Dynamic  Laws  and 
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Mesmerism  in  India. 

Messages    from    the    Superior 

State,  comniunieated  by  John 
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Spirit  Voices.  Oiles  dictated  by 
Spirits  for  llie  use  of  llarmimial 
Circles.  K.  C.  Uencli,  Medium. 
Plain  I'ounil,  'J8c.:  extra  liound  .   . 

Familiar  Spirits  and  Spiritual 
Manifestations,  by  Ur.  E.  Pond, 
Professor  in  the  Itangor  Tlieological 
Seminary,  together  with  a  reply  by 
.Mliert  I'lin^liam 


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EPITOME 


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8PIKIT-INTERC0UKSE: 


CONDENSED  VIEW  OF  SPIRITUALISM, 

IN  ITS 

SCRIPTURAL,  HISTORICAL,  ACTUAL  AND  SCIENTIFIC  ASPECTS; 

ITS  BEU.TI0N8  TO 

CHRISTIANITY,    INSANITY,    PSYCHOMETRY   AND    SOCIAL   REFORM. 

MANIFESTATIONS  IN  NOVA  SCOTIA. 


r 


I 


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IV 


IMPORTANT  COMMUNICATIONS  FROM   THE  SPIRITS 

Of 
SIR   JOHN   FRANKLIN, 

AND 

REV.  WM.  WISHART,  ST.  JOHN,  N.  B. 

•;v  ,-v  EVIDENCES  OF  IDENTITY, 

AND 

DIRECTIONS    FOR    DEVELOPING    MEDIUMS. 


Vt 


ALFRED  CRIDGE,  OF  CANADA, 

WBITINQ    MEDIUM. 


„^?- 


BOSTON: 
BELA  MARSH,  15   FRANKLIN  STREET. 

.  -  18  54. 


UI«PWH'    lliWllli»*" 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  1854,  by 

BELA    MARSH, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  tbe  District  Court  for  tlie  District  of  Massachusetts. 


\ 


STEREOTTPED    BY 

nOBABT  k  BOBJUNS, 

SKGLAHO  TTPE  AND  BTEREUirPE  rOITKDBT, 
BOSTON. 


V 


■>    -'i 


4 


PRELECTION. 


V 


I 


Havinq  become  deeply  interested  in  spiritualism,  af);er  twelve 
years'  investigation  of  reform  ideas,  I  was  gradually  developed  as 
a  writing  medium  (principally  in  St.  John,  N.  B.,  and  in  Halifax, 
N.  S.),  under  such  circumstances  as  could  leave  no  doubt  in  my 
own  mind  as  to  the  nature  of  the  agency  employed.  Repeated 
solicitations  from  spirit  and  other  friends  have  induced  me  to  com- 
mence the  public  advocacy  of  Spiritualism,  but  I  find  no  one  book 
that  would  answer  as  a  text-book  from  which  to  lecture,  or  that 
would  present  a  connected  idea  of  the  subject  to  new  inquirers. 

I  do  not  find,  either,  that  the  scriptural  aspect  has  ever  been 
presented  in  a  collected  and  systematic  form.  The  literature  of 
Spiritualism  (like  that  of  some  other  reform  movements)  is  defi- 
cient in  compactness  and  condensation.  New  movements  must 
necessarily  be  so.  Those  who  wish  to  get  a  connected  idea  of  such 
have  to  rummage  among  heaps  of  papers  and  books  at  an  outlay 
of  time  and  means  few  can  afibrd.  Spiritualism,  too,  has  been  so 
much  misrepresented  by.the  press  and  pulpit  that  many  candid 
minds  hesitate  to  bestow  $20  or  $30  in  investigating  what,  with 
their  limited  light,  they  justly  conceive  to  be  a  delusion.  Find- 
ing it  absolutely  necessary  to  lay  out,  in  this  way,  considerable 
labor,  time  and  means,  in  order  to  collect  and  arrange  matter  for 
lecturing,  I  concluded  the  result  might  be  useful  to  others  simi- 
larly circumstanced,  and  also  serve  to  introduce  the  subject  in 
new  localities, —  that  the  "  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  "  may  be  pro- 
claimed "  to  all  people  "  —  that  "  all  may  be  gathered  together  in 
one  " — that  there  may  be  but  "  one  faith,"  faith  in  love  —  "  one 
God,"  a  God  of  love  — "  one  baptism,"  when  the  inmost  elements 
of  our  being  shall  be  bathed  in  universal  charity,  when  all  will  be 
permeated  by  the  love  which  is  God's  essence,  incarnated  in  the 
individual  life  and  social  organisation. 


INDEX. 


i 


CHAPTER  I. 

SCRIPTURAL  ASPECT. 

i^uoh  expressions  as  '■  Tho  Lord  saith,"  '■  The  Lord  commanded,"  denote  epirit 
agency,  p.  5 — 10.  Are  angels  departed  spirits  1  11.  Explanation  Deut.  18  :  11  ; 
Isaiah  ti  :  10,  20,  p.  12.  Fishbuugh  on  familiar  spirits,  13 — 15.  Demoniao  pos- 
sessions and  modern  spiritualism,  lU.    Biblical  history  of  spirit  intercourse, 

17—28. 

CHAPTER  II. 

SPIRIT  INTERCOURSB  AMONG  TUB  ANCIENT  HEATHENS,  29. 

CHAPTER  III. 

HISTORY  OF  SPIRIT  INTERCOURSE  AMONG  THE  PRIMITIVE  CHRISTIANS,  30-36. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

HISTORY  OF  SPIRIT  INTERCOURSE  FROM  THE  FIFTH  TO  THE  NINETEENTH  CEN- 
TURY. 

Wesley,  Clarke,  and  the  rnrly  Methodists,  vertut  Modern  Methodism.  The  founder 
of  the  American  Bible  bucioty  a  spirit  medium,  37 — 48. 

CHAPTER  V.  ' 

BRIEF  SYNOPSIS  OF  MODERN   MANIFESTATIONS  IN  AMERICA,  48-61. 

CHAPTER  VI.  y.  <-.' 

FACTS  PROVING  SUPERHUMAN  IN-TELLIGENCB. 

Instruments  played  on  without  human  hands,  63.  Spirits  versus  holy  water,  54. 
Persons  and  things  moved  by  spirits,  54.  Wrestling  with  a  spirit,  55.  Spirits 
versus  fire,  poison,  etc.,  59,  GU.  Speaking  in  unknown  tongues,  Gl.  Gift  of  dis- 
cerning spirits,  62.    Spirit  voices,  (13. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

FACTS  PROVING  UTILITY  OF  SPIRIT   INTERCOURSE. 

Gift  of  healing  —  Money  recovered,  Gt,  C6.  Family  reunion  through  spirit  agency, 
66.  Spirit  intercourse  versus  infidelity  —  necessity  of  a  new  dispensation — -twe 
hundred  thousand  infidels  converted  through  spiritualism,  07 — 70. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

FACTS  TENDING  TO  PROVE  IDENTITY  —  CASE  OF  SIR  JOHN  FRANKUN,    70—78. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

SPIRITUALISM  NOT  A  CAUSE  OF  INSANITY  — A  FEW  CASES  OF  ORTHODOX   IN- 
SANITY, 76—86. 

CHAPTER  X. 

SUNDRY  OBJECTIONS  CONSIDERED  — SPIRIT  INTERCOURSE  CATHOLIC,  NOT  SBC- 

TAUIAN,  86—92. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

PHILOSOPHY  OF  MIRACLES  — WHAT  USE  IS  IT?  — INCARNATION  OF  I/)VE  IK 
LIFE-IIARMONIAL  COMMUNlTlliS  — CAUTION  TO  NEW  CONVERTS  — WHO  ARE 
INFIDELS?  92—105, 


APPENDIX. 

COMMUNICATION  FROM  REV.  WM.  WISHART,  OF  ST.  JOHN,  N.  B.  - 

VELOP  MEDIUMS  — POETRY. 


■  HOW  TO  M- 


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CHAPTER   I. 

SCRIPTURAL  ASPECT. 


Such  expressions  as  **  The  Lord  saidj'*  **  The  Lord 
commanded,"  etc.,  cannot  be  susceptible  of  a  literal  inter- 
pretation, because,  - 
■  1st.  On  this  principle  actions  must  be  attributed  to 
Jehovah  contrary  to  sound  morality ;  a  character  as- 
signed to  him  contrary  to  that  given  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  other  portions  of  the  Old ;  and  statements 
made,  which,  on  the  supposition  of  a  literal  interpretation, 
are  contradictory.   •       ^  ^      v.           vyfe-  #     j     ,;   • 

Compare  Matt.  5 :  44  with  Deut.  7  :  1 — 5  ;  Luke 
6  :  37  with  Deut.  25  :  17—19  ;  1  John  4  with  1  Sam. 
15  :  3  ;  Ps.  109  with  Luke  6  :  27—38  ;  2  Sam.  24  with 
1  Chron.  21 :  1,  and  both  with  James  1 :  18  ;  Gen.  6  : 
6,  1  Sam.  2 :  30,  with  Numbers  23  :  19;  James  1 :  17, 
Gen.  11 :  5—7,  18  :  20,  21,  with  Ps.  139  :  7—10. 
See  2  Sam.  12  :  11,  Numbers  31 :  15,  18. 

"  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  Command 
the  children  of  Israel,  and  say  unto  them,  My  o^ering 
and  my  bread  for  sacrifices  made  by  fire,  a  sweet  savour 
unto  me,  shall  ye  observe  to  offer  unto  me  in  their  due 
season."  Numbers  28 :  12.  Compare  with  Jeri  7  :  21 
—23,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts  *  *  *  *  / 
spake  not  unto  your  fathers  *  *  *  concerning  burnt 
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sacrifices."     Compare,  on  same  subject, 
Lev.  17  :  6,  with  Isaiah  1 :  11,  Micah 


offerings  and 
Gen.  8:  21, 
6:  7. 

The  only  way  to  reconcile  these  apparent  contradic- 
tions is  to  adopt  the  theory  of  the  spiritualists,  that  the 
phraseology  above  alluded  to  merely  implies  a  communi- 
cation from  the  spirit  world. 

2d.  Sceptics,  on  literal  principles,  are  armed  with 
most  powerful  weapons  against  revelation  and  the  Bible. 
See  Barker  and  Berg's  discussion.  The  theory  of  a  pro- 
gressive revelation  through  spirits  renders  pointless  all 
their  attacks  and  harmonizes  all  truth. 

3d.  Contrary  to  the  positive  statements  in  Ex.  33  : 
23,  Isaiah  6 :  1,  John  (the  disciple  whom  Jesus 
"loved")  says  that  "no  man  hath  seen  God  at  any 
time,"  John  1 :  18;  and  Paul,  that  no  man  has  or  can 
see  him,  1  Tim.  6  :  16 ;  from  which  it  is  evident  that  it 
was  an  angel  that  was  seen  by  Moses  and  Isaiah,  though 
described  as  Jehovah.  Hence,  the  inference  is  obvious 
that,  as  used  by  the  Old  Testament  writers,  the  expres- 
sions "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,"  &c.,  mean  only  that  they 
were  so  impressed  from  the  spirit  world. 

Affirmative  reasons  for  adopting  the  latter  idea  are  as 
follows :      •  ■  : 

1st.  Effects  resulting  from  influences  attributed  to 
direct  Deific  agency  are  elsewhere  in  the  Bible  ascribed 
to  angels  and  departed  spirits,  and  in  the  present  day 
are  known  to  emanate  from  superhuman  intelligent 
agents,  claiming  to  be  the  spirits  of  the  departed.  From 
identity  of  phenomena  we  may  reasonably  infer  simi- 
larity of  cause. 

Samuel  to  Saul.   "And  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  will  come 


^ 


upon  theo,  and  thou  shalt  prophesy  (speak  by  spirit  im- 
pression or  control.  See  p.  30)  with  them,  and  shall 
be  turned  into  another  man."  1  Sam.  10.  This  is  what 
takes  place  in  thousands  of  mediums  now.  A  lady  me- 
dium in  New  York  is  sometimes  turned  "  into  another  " 
being  when  possessed,  in  a  trance  state,  by  the  spirit  of 
an  Irishman ;  though  in  her  ordinary  state  she  is  en- 
tirely different.  When  so  possessed  she  exhibits  to  the 
life  all  the  peculiarities  of  the  Irish  character.  Mediums, 
not  noted  for  commanding  intellect  or  oratorical  talent, 
under  these  influences  deliver  extempore  orations  replete 
with  profound  thought.  Corresponding  phenomena  are 
exhibited  by  writing  mediums. 

Subsequently  *'  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  departed  from 
Saul,"  and  *'  an  evil  spirit  from  the  Lord  troubled  him." 
1  Sam.  16  :  13.  The  phenomenon  of  a  change  of  pos- 
session is  one  with  which  modern  mediums  are  quite 
familiar. 

From  1  Kings  18 :  12,  and  2  Kings  2 :  16,  it  ap- 
pears that  prophets,  in  those  days,  were  carried  bodily  by 
"  the  spirit  of  the  Lord."  It  is  also  related,  in  Acts  8  : 
39,  that  after  Philip  had  baptized  the  eunuch,  *'  The 
spirit  of  the  Lord  caught  away  Philip  that  the  eunuch 
saw  him  no  more,  *  *  *  but  Philip  was  found  at 
Azotus,"  thirty  miles  distant.  Ezekiel  had  similar  expe- 
rience, but  in  his  case  it  was  simply  "the  spirit."  Ezek. 
3  :  12,  14  ;  8  :  1,  2,  3.  Precisely  similar  demonstra- 
tions have  taken  place  at  the  present  day,  purporting  to 
be  from  departed  spirits.  See  Chapter  vi.,  experience 
of  Hume,  Gordon,  and  Mrs.  Ide. 

The  Lord  is  said  to  have  spoken  to  Samuel  in  an  audi- 
ble voice.  1  Sam.  3.  Elijah  also  was  addressed  by  "  a 
still  small  voice."     "A  voice  from  heaven"  addressed 


^ 


IIIIIIIIW 


8 


li'' 


Nebuchadnezzar.  (Dan.  4.)  See  also  Matt.  3  :  87,  17  : 
5,  John  12  :  28,  Acts  9  :  7.  The  particular  source  ia 
not  stated  except  in  the  first  and  last  texts.  Pythagoras 
was  crossing  the  Nessus  with  a  large  company  of  friends 
when  a  loud  voice  was  heard  by  the  entire  company, 
apparently  proceeding  from  the  bosom  of  the  waters,  say- 
ing, *'  Hail,  Pythagoras! "  Josephus  says  that  before  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans,  and  while  the 
priests  were  performing  the  rites  of  the  temple  worship, 
there  were  heard  voices,  as  of  an  invisible  multitude, 
saying,  "  Let  us  go  hence."  For  similar  occurrences  in 
modern  times  see  Chapter  vi.  No  impartial  reasoner  can 
fail  to  infer  that  in  all  these  cases  (except,  perhaps,  that 
of  Pythagoras),  the  phenomena  took  place  under  one 
uniform  law. 

By  1  Chron.  28  :  19,  it  appears  that  David  was  a 
writing  and  drawing  medium.  Chapter  v.  In  reference 
to  plans  of  the  temple,  it  is  recorded  in  the  nineteenth 
verse,  "All  the  Lord  made  me  understand  in  writing  by 
hand  upon  me  all  the  works  of  this  pattern."  (Leave  out 
supplied  words.)  It  appears,  then,  that-  the  temple  was 
built  by  spirit  direction ;  probably  for  the  purpose  of  ren- 
dering practicable  spiritual  manifestations,  on  a  more 
extensive  scale  than  before.  Thousands  of  mediums  in 
the  present  day  have  their  hands  controlled  in  a  similar 
manner. 

Affirmative  reason  2d.  The  expressions,  Jehovah  and 
the  angel  of  Jehovah,  God  and  the  angel  of  God,  are 
used  as  synonymous  terms. 

Gen.  18.  "And  Jehovah  appeared  unto  him  in  the 
plains  of  Mamre,  and  he  sat  at  the  tent  door  in  the  heat 
of  the  day.  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  looked,  and 
three  men  stood  by  him."    In  the  conversation  that  fol- 


J  I'Ti'TilOiill- 


***-« 


iPPf^~— ''"^■^PBPIW 


^immmm 


9 


lowed,  commenced  by  the  men  (angels,  or  spirits  of 
men),  Jehovah  is  represented  as  continuing  it ;  evidently 
implying  Jehovah  and  the  men,  angels  (or  messengers 
of  Jehovah),  are  identical.  Two  angels  subsequently 
appear  to  Lot  in  Sodom,  who  are,  evidently,  two  of  the 
three  that  appeared  to  Abram,  as  they  then  expressed 
the  intention  of  going  to  Sodom.  One  appears  to  have 
remained  behind  for  the  purpose  of  conversing  with 
Abram ;  from  which  conversation  it  is  evident  that,  as 
an  ambassador  is  considered  to  represent  his  country  or 
king,  God  and  the  angel  of  God  are  considered  synony- 
mous terms ;  which  inference  is  placed  beyond  doubt 
scripturally  by  John  1  :  18,  and  Timothy  6  :  IG. 

Gen.  32  :  24.  "  And  Jacob  was  left  alone,  and  there 
wrestled  with  him  a  man  until  daybreak.  28.  And  he 
(the  angel)  said.  Thy  name  shall  no  more  be  called  Jacob, 
but  Israel,  for  as  a  prince  hast  thou  power  with  God  and 
with  men,  and  hast  prevailed.  80.  And  Jacob  called 
the  name  of  the  place  Peniel,  for  I  have  seen  God  face 
to  face."  Compare  Hosea  12  :  34.  *  *  *  "by  his 
strength  he  had  power  with  God.  Yea,  he  had  power 
over  the  angel"  (parallelism).  In  reference  to  the  wres- 
tling, a  similar  case  is  narrated,  that  took  place  a  year  or 
two  ago,  in  Chapter  vi.  But  in  the  latter  case  the  spirit 
conquered. 

Rev.  1:1.  "  The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which 
God  gave  unto  him,  to  show  unto  his  servants  things 
which  must  shortly  come  to  pass  :  and  he  sent  and  signi- 
fied it  by  his  angel  unto  his  servant  John."  Here 
**  God"  and  "his  angel"  are  undeniably  synonymous. 

Why  were  such  expressions  used  ? 

Some  say  that  the  Bible  writers  did  not,  in  all  cases, 


10 


% 


know  the  nature  of  their  inspiration ;  they  only  knew 
the/fljc^,  not  the  source.  I  do  not  affirm  this,  but  it  is 
certain  that  John  the  Revelator  did  not  know  the  nature 
of  the  angels,  who  showed  him  the  visions  recorded  in 
Revelation,  until  near  the  close  of  the  book.  Rev.  19 : 
10  ;  22  :  8 — 10.  There  is  also  a  difference  of  state- 
ment as  to  who  moved  David  to  number  the  people.  In 
2  Sam.  24  :  1,  it  is  said  Jehovah ;  in  1  Chron.  21 :  1,  it 
is  said  Satan  tempted  him.  James  1 :  13,  appears  to 
differ  from  both. 

Another  hypothesis  is,  that  low  spirits  having  sent 
evil  communications,  in  which  those  who  received  them 
placed  implicit  confidence,  the  higher  class  of  spirits 
perceiving,  did  not  give  names,  but  spoke  in  the  name 
of  Jehovah,  as  his  messengers,  believing  their  communi- 
cations were  in  accordance  with  his  wishes  and  designs. 

A  third  hypothesis  (perhaps  the  most  probable)  is, 
that  from  one  or  all  the  following  causes,  namely,  imper- 
fection of  the  language,  want  of  precision  of  thought, 
and  predominance  of  the  devotional  religious  element  in 
the  prophets  or  mediums,  all  communications  from  the 
spirit  Avorki,  except  from  spirits  called  "  familiar,"  were 
considered  as  directly  or  indirectly  from  Jehovah,  and 
were  thus  spoken  of  to  save  tautology,  without  regard  to 
critical  nicety  of  expression,  which  is  justly  considered  a 
minor  matter  by  Bible  writers  generally  ;  in  accordance 
with  which  idea,  and  of  the  inadequacy  of  mere  words 
to  convey  meaning,  Paul  says  that  "  the  letter  killeth, 
but  the  spirit  giveth  life." 

In  Daniel  1  :  17,  God  is  said  to  have  given  wisdom 
and  skill  to  Daniel  and  his  three  companions.  In  Job 
37,  various  natural  phenomena  are  attributed  to  the 
direct  agency  of  the  Deity,  yet  no  personal  or  special 


iifiiSti 


11 


act  of  Deity  is  supposed  or  needed.  Devout  men  in 
modem  times  frequently  make  use  of  similar  forms  of 
expression,  without  intending  to  imply  Deific  or  even 
superhuman  agency.  Why  then  should  the  expression 
"Thus  saith  the  Lord"  be  interpreted  as  signifying  a 
personal  interposition  of  the  Deity,  when  reason,  anal- 
ogy, scripture  and  fact  are  against  such  an  idea  ? 


1 


ARE  ANGELS   DEPARTED   SPIRITS  OF  MEN  1 

A  merchant  had  important  business  to  transact  by  dep- 
uty in  a  foreign  country.  He  has  two  clerks,  equal  in 
business  capacity,  &c.,  but  one  of  them  has  never  been 
in  the  country,  and  is  almos^ unacquainted  with  the  lan- 
guage, manner,  customs  and  habits  of  thought  of  its 
inhabitants.  The  other  has  not  only  been  in  it,  but  was 
born  and  brought  up  there,  and  is  consequently  thor- 
oughly acquainted  with  all  necessary  to  know  in  that 
way :  which  of  them  will  the  merchant  send  if  he  is 
sane  ? 

Then,  by  parity  of  reasoning,  if  God  sends  messengers 
to  this  world,  would  he  be  likely  to  send  spirits  who 
have  no  experimental  knowledge  of  the  wants  and  weak- 
nesses of  humanity,  when  numbers  of  spirits,  having 
large  experience  of  the  earth  life,  were  not  only  willing 
but  anxious  to  assist  in  elevating  their  fellow-men  on 
earth  by  displaying  evidence  of  superhuman  power  ? 

If  angels  are  a  distinct  order  of  beings,  when  were 
they  created  ?  We  have  no  record,  though  we  have  of 
the  creation  of  man,  the  inferior  animals,  and  even  of 
inanimate  things.  "He  make th  his  angels  spirits," — 
that  is,  his  messengers  are  the  spirits  of  departed  human 
beings. 


12 


"If  this  passage,  Deut.  18:  11,  proves  anything,  it  proves  that 
there  were  spirits  who  could  be  consulted,  *  *  *  For  the  same 
reason  (perversion)  were  many  other  of  those  laws  given.  Such  as  the 
command  not  to  '  wear  a  garment  of  divers  sorts,  as  of  woollen  and 
linen  together.'  Deut.  22.  The  mere  wearing  of  the  garment  was 
not  objectionable,  but  the  nations  from  whom  they  were  to  come  out 
and  be  forever  separate,  made  such  garments  signs  and  symbols  of  the 
idolatrous  worship."  —  Adams^  Seventeen  OhjectioTis  Answei'ed,  p.  73. 


EXPLANATION   OF  ISAIAH  8  :  19,  20,    ABRIDGED    FROM    SPIRITUAL 
TELEGRAPH,    MAY  27,  1854. 

"  And  when  they  shall  say  unto  you,  Seek  unto  them  that  have 
familiar  spirits,  and  unto  wizards  that  peep,  and  that  mutter :  should 
not  a  people  seek  unto  their  God  ?  for  the  living  to  the  dead  (  To  the 
law  and  to  the  testimony :  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it 
is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them." 

1.  This  passage  proves  that  men  in  those  days  did  hold  intercourse 
with  invisible  spiritual  beings. 

2.  A  wizard  merely  means  a  wise  man  —  one  who  is  familiar  with 
mysterious  arts.  Incantation  and  enchantment,  &c.,  merely  mean 
singing.  The  first  word  is  of  Latin  derivation,  the  latter  French.  Con- 
juration, to  summon  by  a  sacred  name  and  in  a  solemn  manner.  Con- 
sequently, these  terms  may  be  applied  both  to  good  and  evil  practices. 

3.  The  prophet  counsels  them  to  avoid  only  that  class  of  wizards 
who  "  peep  and  mutter,"  or  deliver  unintelligible  communications  in  an 
indistinct  tone.  It  would,  of  course,  be  unprofitable  to  waste  time  in 
consulting  any  such  media. 

4.  The  fact  that  the  people  were  required  to  test  these  spirits  and 
wizards,  also  to  subject  them  to  a  rigid  trial  by  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  implied  the  necessity  of  a  somewhat  intimate  acquaintance 
with  their  physical  operations,  and  especially  with  their  mental  and 
moral  powers  and  inculcations.  In  fact,  this  was  absolutely  necessary 
to  enable  the  Jews  to  institute  such  a  comparison,  for  no  man,  surely, 
could  judge  whether  the  spirits  did  or  did  not  speak  "  according  to  the 
law  and  the  testimony,"  unless  he  first  listened  to  what  they  had  to 
say.  Moreover,  the  words  "  z/they  speak  not  according  to  this  word" 
etc.,  distinctly  imply  that  some  of  the  spirits  referred  to  might  be  ex- 
pected to  speak  truly,  and  thus  prove  themselves  to  be  spirits  of  light; 


V 


w 


^5 


h 


13 


otherwise  the  proposed  ordeal  would  have  been  a  work  of  supereroga- 
tion. 

5.  The  ancient  oracles  were  frequently  delivered  in  an  indistinct 
tone.  Modern  speaking  mediums  usually  enunciate  with  more  dis- 
tinctness under  spirit  influence  than  in  their  ordinary  state. 

EXTRACT  FEOM  FISIIBOUGH   ON   FAMILIAR  SPIRITS. 

"  There  shall  not  be  found  among  you  any  one  that  maketh  his  son  or 
his  daughter  to  pass  through  the  fire,  or  that  useth  divination,  or  an 
observer  of  times,  or  an  enchanter,  or  a  witch,  or  a  charmer,  or  a  con- 
suiter  with  familiar  spirits,  or  a  wizard  or  a  necromancer."  Deut.  18: 
9—11. 

1  Sam,  28  :  3.  Saul  himself,  however,  was  subsequently  tempted 
to  consult  one  of  these  proscribed  personages,  and,  according  to  the 
account,  obtained  an  interview  with  the  veritable  spirit  of  the  prophet 
Samuel.     2  Kings  23  :  24. 

These  biblical  records  clearly  prove  that  intercourse  with  invisible 
intelligences  existed  among  the  heathen,  as  well  as  Jews,  of  the  ancient 
times.  They  render  it  extremely  probable  that,  according  to  the  same 
spiritual  laws,  and  under  similar  conditions,  a  similar  intercourse  be- 
tween men  and  spirits  may  exist  even  at  the  present  day ;  and  they 
thus  remove  every  a  2}riori  objection  to  the  spiritual  claims  of  the 
thousands  of  phenomena  of  our  own  times,  which  cannot  be  accounted 
for  on  any  hypothesis  of  material  science. 

As  the  various  families,  tribes,  and  nations,  which  sprang  up  and 
spread  over  the  earth  after  the  general  deluge,  were  in  the  lowest 
state  of  mental  development,  their  theological  conceptions  were  also 
correspondingly  low.  They  were  inclined  to  the  conception  of  a  plu- 
ralitij  of  divinities  as  presiding  over  different  departments,  and  to  these 
divinities  they  attributed  difterent  degrees  of  dignity  and  power.  In- 
dividuals, families,  tribes,  and  nations,  were  thus  supposed  to  have  their 
re^^  tlvo  tutelar  gods  ;  and  tiiese,  frequently  differing  very  materially 
in  their  natures,  were  supposed  often  to  sustain  those  same  hostile  rela- 
tions towara  each  other  which  existed  between  tlieir  human  proteges.  A 
large  proportion  of  these  divinities  were  conceived  to  be  nothing  more 
than  the  spirits  of  deceased  men ;  *  and  it  was  to  the  most  insignificant 


*  Farmer,  in  his  treatise  on  liwrnons  and  the  worship  of  human  spirits,  has 
proved  this  puiut  beyond  a  doubt. 


i 


i  '.1 


H 


14 


of  these  —  to  sufli  as  were  attached  to  the  interests  of  individuals  or 
faniiliesi,  and  held  open  converse  with  them  —  that  the  Old  Testament 
writers  appropriated  the  name  of  ^^  familiar  spirits." 

These  gave  their  oracles  and  mandates  cither  through  such  persons 
as  would  in  these  times  be  called  "  mediums,"  or  by  visible  action  upon 
an  imago  or  statue,  or  other  physical  machinery,  which,  by  being  con- 
trived and  solemnly  dedicated  for  the  purpose,  became  the  point  of 
magnetic  contact  between  beings  in  this  world  and  in  the  other.  They 
were  froijuontly  consulted,  and  their  responses  implicitly  followed, 
regardless  of  any  higher  spiritual  source  of  instruction. 

Wc  can  now  perceive  clearly  why  habitual  dealings  with  "  familiar 
spirits  "  were  divinely  prohibited  in  the  Mosaic  law.  It  was  simply 
because  those  spirits,  when  consulted  in  those  days,  were  uniformly 
consulted  as  petty  divinities.  Ilud  the  Jews  been  permitted  they 
would,  undoubtedly,  have  remained  heathens. 

But  wore  the  Jews  prohibited  unqxialificdhj  from  holding  com- 
munication with  spirits  ?  I  answer  emphatically,  no  .  and  will  proceed 
to  prove  that  that  class  of  beings  called  angels,  with  whom  their  patri- 
archs and  prophets  fre([uently  held  interviews,  were  not  only  spirits  (as 
they  are  acknowledged  to  have  been),  but  even  human  spirits.  But  wo 
have  room  for  only  a  brief  summary  of  the  existing  proofs  of  this 
point.  Thus  the  three  angels  who  visited  Abraham,  while  dwelling 
upon  the  plains  of  Mamre,  were  expressly  called  "  men."  (ien.  18:2. 
The  8uperumndane  intelligences,  who  visited  Lot  previous  to  the  de- 
struction of  8odom,  were  called  both  ''angels  "  and  "  men."  Gion.  19  : 
1,  12.  The  prophet  Zechariah  speaks  of  a  celestial  apparition  which 
appeared  "  among  the  myrtle  trees,"  and  which  he  expressly  calls  both 
a  "  man  "'  and  an  "  angel  "  (Zech.  1  :  8—11 ;  2  :  1—3)  ;  and  the 
prophet  Daniel  applies  the  same  cognomen  interchangeably  to  the 
celestial  visitants  who  appeared  to  him  on  several  occasions.  The  la;it 
chapter  of  2  Maccabees  contains  an  account  of  an  appearance  of  the 
spirit  of  Jeremiah  the  prophet  to  Onias  the  high  priest,  in  a  ibnn  and 
office  belonging  only  to  angels  ;  and  much  in  the  same  form  appeared 
Moses  and  Elias  to  Jesus  at  the  time  of  his  transfiguration.  But  what 
is,  if  possible,  still  more  conclusive  upon  the  point,  is  the  following  : 
after  St.  John  had  seen  the  wonderful  visions,  and  heard  the  sayings, 
which  are  recorded  in  the  Apocalypse,  he  says  that  he  fell  down  to 
worship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel  who  showed  him  these  things. 
Then  said  the  angel,  "  See  thou  do  it  not;  for  I  am  thy  fellow-servant, 
AND  OF  Tiiv  miETiiKEN  TiiK  Plioi'HETS,  and  of  them  which  kcci)  the  say- 


15 


als  or 
amcut 

crsons 
1  upon 
ig  con- 
iut  of 
They 
llowed, 

aniillar 

dimply 

itbnnly 

id   tlicy 

lor  com- 
proceed 
;ir  patri- 
)irits  (as 
But  we 
i  of  this 
dwelling 
.  IS  :  '2. 
3  tlic  dc- 
Gon.  19: 
on  which 
calls  both 

11  nd  the 

y  1o   the 

The  hist 

ice  of  the 

bnn  and 
1  appeared 
But  what 
following  : 
e  f-ayings, 
dl  down  to 
2he  things, 
jw-^crvant, 
ep  the  say- 


ings of  this  hook  :  worship  Ciod."  Rev.  22  :  8,  9.  If,  as  is  hero  dis- 
tinctly asserted,  this  angel  was  the  spirit  of  one  of  the  old  prophets, 
then  there  is  nothing  to  exclude  the  presumption,  favored  by  the  na- 
ture of  things  as  well  as  by  numerous  other  passages,  that  all  angels 
are  in  like  manner  but  the  ascended  and  purified  spirits  of  men,  which, 
as  the  term  "  angel  "  implies,  are  sent  as  messengers  to  this  world. 

In  holding  communication  with  anijels,  therefore,  the  Jewish  patri- 
archs and  prophets  held  communication  with  human  spirits  ;  and  this 
was  considered  perfectly  legitimate,  simply  because  those  angels,  unlike 
the  "familiar"  or  ''pythonic  spirits,"  did  not,  as  petty  divinities, 
come  in  Iheir  oirn  name,  but  in  the  name  of  God,  and  with  messages 
encouraging  the  worship  and  obedience  of  him  alone  as  the  Dispenser 
of  good,  and  the  Source  of  truth. 

The  bearing  of  the  Mosaic  law  upon  the  permissibility  of  spiritual 
intercourse  at  this  day,  will  now  be  perfectly  obvious.  The  practice 
of  consulting  with  "  familiar "  or  "  pythonic  spirits,"  for  selfish  and 
ambitious  purposes,  or  of  seeking  their  instructions  as  ultimate  and 
absolute  authorities,  without  any  reverent  regard  to  the  will  of  God,  is 
just  as  heathenish  as  ever.  There  can  be  no  possible  objection,  how- 
ever, even  according  to  the  Mosaic  law,  to  our  conversing  with  the 
spirits  of  our  departed  friends,  or  with  aiiy  spirit,  however  high  or 
low,  so  long  as  wc  regard  them  as  mere  faUihle  men,  not  receiving 
their  data  for  ultimate  authority,  or,  in  any  degree  giving  them,  in  our 
minds,  the  phue  of  Ciod.  Nay,  as  high  and  pure  spirits  may  as  easily 
approach  us  as  low  ones,  provided  we  render  ourselves  worthy  of  their 
visitations,  this  new  spiritual  unfolding  may  be  made  to  us  the  vehicle 
of  the  most  high  and  holy  instructions  and  influences  ;  and,  considered 
in  this  light,  it  is  our  duly  to  study  and  conform  to  its  laws,  and 
develop  its  resources. 

The  woman  of  Endor,  so  much  vituperated  bytlioological 
blackguards,  was  evidently  truthful,  kind-hearted  and  for- 
giving. 8hc  returned  Saul  good  for  evil,  and  strove  to 
help  him  in  his  distress.  It  is  likely  that  the  higher 
class  of  mediums  in  Saul's  time  knew  more  altout  his 
misdeeds  than  he  thought  advisable.  He,  therefore, 
plann(!d  their  destruction,  under  pretence  of  their  being 
consulters  of  familiar  spirits.     ]>eing  himself  a  medium 


4 


}    ^ 


10 


for  the  low  spirits,  he  became  envious  of  their  superiority, 
and  concluded  it  best  to  remove  them  from  the  earth 
sphere  that  he  might  be  unrestrained  by  influences  which 
"  proclaim  on  the  house-tops  what  is  done  in  the  closet." 
Luke  12  :  3. 

RELATION    OP    DEMONIC    POSSESSIONS   TO   MODERN 
SPIRITUALISM. 

The  word  "  demons,"  improperly  translated  "devils  " 
in  the  New  Testament,  was  usually  applied  to  departed 
spirits  of  all  grades.  "  The  Jews  before  Christ,  and  the 
fathers  after,  believed  that  these  departed  spirits  lurked 
in  images,  spoke  in  oracles,  controlled  omens,  and  in 
various  ways  encouraged  men  to  worship  them."  — 
Beechcr  on  Spiritualism.  Those  spoken  of  in  the  New 
Testament  were  mostly  low  spirits,  controllable  by  medi- 
ums for  the  higher  manifestations,  and  were  consequently 
readily  "cast  out"  by  those  under  the  influence  of 
Christ's  teachings.  The  ability  to  do  this  was  one  of  the 
"  signs  that  followed  them  that  believe."  Mark  16  :  17. 
Accordingly,  this  power  is  possessed  to  a  great  extent  by 
modern  mediums  for  the  higher  phases  of  spirit  inter- 
course, though  unknown  to  most  popular  religionists. 
Similar  cases  of  possession  occur  now,  but  the  low  spirits 
at  present  are  seldom  violent.  The  worst  case  of  the 
kind  is  particularized  in  Judge  Edmonds'  book.  See, 
also,  Newton's  "Ministry  of  Angels  Kealized." 

If  evil  spirits  communicate,  why  not  good  ones  ? 
"  What  means  the  passage,  '  Are  they  not  all  minister- 
ing spirits  ? '  Do  you  suppose  these  alluded  to  are  evil 
ones  ? 

"In  the  seventh  and  ninth  of  Mark,  we  are  told  of 
*  evil  spirits'  and  of  '  dumb  spirits,'  implying  there  are 


1^ 


i: 


other  spirits.  Else  why  say  "evil,"  and  why  "dumb"? 
Why  not  say  "«  spirit,"  if,  indeed,  all  spirits  were  evil? 
Christ  told  his  disciples,  "  this  kind  comcth  forth  only  by 
prayer  and  fasting,"  and,  by  the  words  "  this  kind," 
most  plainly  showing  that  there  were  other  kinds — we 
may  reasonably  believe  good  spirits  —  who  would  leave 
without  the  effort  of  prayer  and  fasting. 

What  is  the  sense  of  the  apostolic  injunction  to  "try  the 
spirits,"  if  they  are  all  of  one  kind,  —  if  they  are  all  evil  ? 

Inspiration  from  the  spirit  world  is  thus  alluded  to  in 
various  parts  of  the  Bible:  1.  Keh.  9:  30.  2.  Isaiah 
32:  15.  3.  Isaiah  CI:  1.  Luke  4:  18.  4.  Ezek.  2: 
2.  5.  Dan.  4:  8;  9:  18;  5:  11,  14.  G.  Matt.  22: 
7.  Luke  1 :  17.  8.  Acts  1:2.  9.  Rev.  1 :  10. 
Rev.  17:3;  21:  10.     11.  Rev.  2:7. 


32 
2. 
43 
10 


All  these  expressions  evidently  refer  to  the  same  thing. 
In  examples  1,  2,  3,  C,  it  is  used  in  reference  to  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Old  Testament  prophets,  who  usually 
preceded  their  communications  by  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,"  and  other  expressions  of  similar  import.  In 
Nos.  7,  10,  11,  it  refers  to  communications  from  the 
spirits  of  departed  prophets.  It  seems,  then,  evident 
that  ill  all  cases  this  inspiration  proceeded  directly  from 
the  spirits  of  departed  men.  To  place  the  matter  beyond 
doubt,  liow^ever,  John  the  Revelator  uses,  as  denoting  the 


same  thing,  the  expressions,  "God  gave  unto  me,"  and 
"He  sent  and  signified  it  by  his  angel."  1:1.  In  Rev. 
19:  10  ;  22:  8—10,  we  find  this  angel  to  be  the  spirit 
of  a  departed  prophet. 

Hence  we  infer,  1st.  That  God  communicates  to  men 
(apart  from  the  physical  operations  of  nature)  only 
through  angels.  "He  maketh  his  angals  spirits:'  Ps. 
103:  4. 

2* 


18 


'  I 


ft 


2d.   Angels  are  the  spirits  of  departed  human  beings. 

3d.  Hence  the  Bible,  so  far  as  regards  its  superhuman 
element,  is  a  continuous  record  of  spiritual  manifesta- 
tions. 

To  further  sustain  this  last  position,  a  sketch  of  the 
more  remarkable  scriptural  facts  relative  to  spirit  inter- 
course is  subjoined : 

Angels  appeared  ilrst  to  Ilagar,  then  to  Abraham  and 
Jacob.  Elijah  was  remarkably  sustained  by  them.  Dan- 
iel, by  angelic  influence,  was  delivered  from  the  lions, 
and  speaks  frequently  of  the  man,  or  angel,  Gabriel. 

In  Numbers  22,  we  have  a  remarkable  account  of  an 
angelic  visit  to  Balaam.  Ilis  presence  was  indicated  by 
his  wonderful  control  over  the  organs  of  the  beast,  it 
being  compelled  to  speak  in  an  audible  and  intelligent 
manner.  The  greater  includes  the  lesser.  If  a  spirit 
could,  several  thousand  years  ago,  control  a  dumb  animal 
to  speak,  Avhy  is  it  impossible  or  unlikely  that  they  can 
control  men  and  women  now  ?  By  what  law  of  evidence 
is  the  testimony  of  one  writer,  several  thousand  years 
ago,  to  be  received,  and  that  of  thousands  of  contempo- 
rary witnesses  rejected,  whose  oaths  would  hang  a  man 
in  any  court  of  justice  ? 

Elijah  acted  mainly  under  spirit  control  during  his 
earth  life,  and,  for  some  centuries  after  his  translation 
to  the  spirit  Avorld,  operated  considerably  through  me- 
diums on  earth.  2  Chron.  21:  12,  "And  there  came 
a  writing  to  him  (Jehoram)  from  Elijah  the  prophet,  say- 
ing, Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  David  thy  father,"  &c. 
"  Because  thou  hast  not  walked  in  the  ways  of  Jehosh- 
aphat  thy  f\ither,  nor  in  the  ways  of  Asa  king  of 
Judah,"  &c. 

It  is  unanimously  admitted  that  Elijah  was  translated 


i 


S. 


19 


ig  his 
ilation 
h  me- 

came 
say- 
"  &c. 

hosh- 


islated 


some  years  before  Jchoram  began  to  reign  —  probably 
about  thirteen.  The  tense  precludes  the  idea  of  its  hav- 
ing been  written  before  his  translation.  We  are  not 
informed  whether  the  writing  came  with  or  without  a 
medium.  In  modern  times  writings  come  both  ways. 
But  if  we  admit  the  truth  of  the  record,  it  is  certain  that 
it  came.  This  text  has  completely  puzzled  all  the  com- 
mentators (see  Clarke,  in  loc),  but  to  a  modern  spirit- 
ualist it  presents  no  difficulty.  It  is  a  simple  statement 
of  facts.  Malachi  4:  5,  G.  The  last  two  verses  of  the 
Old  Testament  contain  a  prediction  of  the  re-appearance 
of  Elijah,  who,  accordingly,  about  four  centuries  after- 
wards, obtained  control  of  a  suitable  medium  in  the  per- 
son of  John  the  Baptist,  whose  purity  of  life  eminently 
qualified  him  for  a  medium  of  a  high  order.  A  general 
and  well-founded  expectation  prevailed  among  the  Jews 
that  Elijah  woul^  re-appear  as  a  precursor  of  the  JNIes- 
eiah ;  but  they,  in  their  grossness,  mistook  the  manner 
in  which  both  Elijah  and  the  Messiah  would  show  them- 
selves. From  various  causes  the  manifestation:?  between 
Malachi  and  John  the  Baptist  were  of  a  very  low  order ; 
and  the  Jews  in  general  seem  to  have  had  no  idea  of 
spirit  control  except  in  cases  analogous  to  the  demoniac 
possessions,  mostly  related  in  the  New  Testament ;  there- 
fore they  expected  a  personal  appearance  of  Elias  or 
Elijah,  which  not  taking  place,  they  rejected  the  Mes- 
siah. One  end  attained  by  his  coming  was  the  expulsion 
of  low  spirits  from  the  bodies  of  men,  and  the  reestab- 
lishment  of  spirit-intercourse  on  a  higher  footing ;  its 
perversion  being  suppressed,  first,  by  preventing  low 
spirits  from  controlling  people  ;  secondly,  by  elevating 
them, — by  preaching  to  them  after  his  entry  into  the 
spirit  world  (1  Peter  3:  19).     Their  being  "in  prison" 


20 


tif 


i 


denotes  the  low,  confined  condition  in  which  they  were 
hold  in  ih(.'  Sj;)ii'it  world  by  their  selfish  character.  Truth 
makes  free  (John  8:  32);  then  its  opposite  constitutes 
bondage  ;  and  therefore  spirits  whoso  lives  on  eartli  were 
steeped  in  falsoliood  and  wrong,  were  said  to  b  ■  "in 
prison."  Christ,  by  bringing  truth  to  their  minds,  ele- 
vated thorn  above  their  previous  position  (mentally),  and 
hence  the  in  frequency  and  less  violent  character  of  pos- 
session by  low  spirits  since  his  time. 

The  following  texts  prove  that  John  the  Baptist  was 
possessed  by  Elijah : 

Matt.  11:  14,  15.  "For all  the  prophets  and  the  law 
prophesied  until  John  ;  but  if  ye  will  receive  it,  this 
(John  the  Bjiptist)  is  Eli  as  which  was  for  to  come." 

Luke  1:  13,  IT.  "And  the  angel  said  unto  him, 
Fear  not,  Zacharias,  for  thy  prayer  is  heard,  and  thy 
wife  I']lizabeth  shall  bear  thee  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call 
his  name  John,  '*'  *  *'  and  he  shall  go  before  him  in  the 
spirit  and  power  of  Elias,"  &c. 

Matt.  17:  10 — 12.  "And  his  disciples  asked  him, 
saying,  Why,  then,  say  the  scribes  that  Elias  must  first 
come?"  And  Jesus,  "Elias  truly  shall  first  come  and 
restore  all  things  ;  but  I  say  unto  you  that  Elias  is  come 
already,  and  they  knew  him  not"  (from  their  ignorance 
of  the  laws  of  spirit  intercourse),  "but  did  unto  him 
whatsoever  they  listed  ;  then  the  disciples  understood  that 
he  spake  of  John  the  Baptist." 

Moses  and  Elias  appeared  personally  to  Christ  and 
three  of  his  disciples  at  the  Trnnsfiguration ;  the  disci- 
ples, being  in  a  trance  state,  became  seeing  mediums. 
Calmness  was  as  necessary  then  as  now  to  such  man- 
ifestations ;  therefore,  a  retired  place  was  chosen,  and  no 
uncongenial  persons  present.    A  believer  in  modern  man- 


II 


'W 


21 


him, 

first 

anil 

s  come 

orance 

him 

d  that 


ifcstations  finds  no  stumbling-block  in  the  Transfigura- 
tion. Seeing  mediums  are  now  numbered  by  hundreds, 
and  soon  will  bo  by  tli  >usands.  See  subsequent  pages. 
Had  Dr.  Rogers  and  J.  IJ.  Dods  been  there,  they  would 
probably  have  attributed  the  appearances  witnessed  to 
"  odic  onianations,"  "  mundane  influences,"  and  "  psy- 
chology." 

In  Job  4,  is  a  sublime  description  of  an  interview  with 
a  si)irit.  In  Ezekiel  2,  is  another;  2:  2.  "And  the 
spirit  entered  into  me  when  he  spake  unto  me,  and  set  mo 
on  my  feet,  and  I  heard  him  that  spake  unto  me."  This 
experience  of  an  ancient  medium  is  quite  similar  to  that 
of  a  modern  one  in  Nova  Scotia.  3  :  12.  "Then  the  spirit 
took  me  up."  14.  "  So  the  spirit  lifted  me  up  and  took 
me  aivai/.*'  This  is  precisely  similar  to  the  experience 
of  Philip  the  apostle,  and  some  modern  mediums.  Yet 
our  pscudo-scicntific  opponents,  assisted  by  the  clerical 
ones — all  professing  to  believe  the  Bible  —  demj  that  spir- 
its have  any  power  over  physical  substances.  See  late 
article  in  Putnam's  Magazine,  and  Chapter  vi.  of  this 
work. 

Ezek.  8  :  3.  "And  he  (the  spirit)  put  forth  the/on?i  o/' 
a  hand,  and  took  mo  by  a  lock  of  my  head,  and  the  spirit 
iifted  me  up  between  the  earth  and  the  heaven." 

Elijah  and  Elisha  were  healing  mediums  of  considera- 
ble power.  1  Kings  18 ;  2  Kings  4.  There  are  thou- 
sands of  living  witnesses  in  our  day  to  the  healing  power 
of  spirits. 

Daniel,  Shadrach,  M^shceh,  and  Al)cdnego,  were  me- 
diums of  a  high  order.  They  defiled  not  the  temple  of 
the  spirit,  their  body,  by  flush-eating,  wine- drinking,  and 


other  filthy  habits,  and  thus  prepared 
reception  of  higher  influences.      An 


themselves  for  the 
!   interposition 


(T 


iH 


ri 


22 


saved  Dmiiel  from  the  lions,  and  the  three  latter  from  the 
fiery  fumacc  in  which  they  were  cast  for  refusing  to  stifle 
their  convictions,  and  conform  to  the  orthodox  creed  of 
that  day  (Chapter  vi.).  Ncbuchadnezzjir  became  a  me- 
dium, first  for  n,  dream  which  he  had  forgotten  in  detail, 
and  then  for  a  remarkable  physical  demonstration  (Dan. 
4),  wherein  an  audible  but  invisible  voice  came  to  him. 
From  wliat  is  rclate<l  concerning  the  wise  men  of  Baby- 
Ion,  and  fn  .n  later  sources  of  information,  I  infer  that 
spirits  in.prcsscd  men's  minds  in  sleep  with  visions  of 
things  about  to  happen  by  moans  of  symbols  ;  the  science 
of  correspondences  enabled  those  wdio  studied  it  —  the 
Vv'ise  men  for  instance,  among  whom  were  nund)ered  Dan- 
iel and  his  three  companions  —  to  interpret  the  message  ; 
but  in  general  they  were  not  capable  of  telling  the  dream 
itself.  There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  them  impostors ; 
from  the  account  given  in  Daniel,  the  contrary  idea  is 
clearly  intimated.  Daniel  and  his  companions  were  supe- 
rior to  the  other  wise  men.  Daniel  evidently  considered 
tJie  sentence  of  Nebuchadnezzar  on  them  unjust,  which 
proves  that  they  were  not  impostors  in  his  estimation. 

I  do  not  intend  to  convey  the  idea  that  all  dreams  are 
produced  by  spirits.  Most  of  them  are  caused  by  phys- 
ical disease,  improper  excitement,  and  other  "  mundane 
influences  ;  "  but  it  is  evident,  from  Scripture  and  other 
sources,  that  some  are  spiritual  in  their  origin  ;  and  spir- 
itual dreams  would  bo  common  if  our  life  were  more  in 
accordance  with  natural  law,  our  diet  purer  and  our 
minds  serene,  as  they  would  bo  in  a  true  social  organiza- 
tion. 8eo  Article  Dreams,  in  Kitto's  Biblical  Encyclopae- 
dia. Cicn.  20  :  3  ;  31  :  24  ;  history  of  Joseph,  Numbers, 
12 :  G  ;  .Tub  33  :  15  ;  Dan.  7:1;  Matt.  1 :  20  ;  27  :  19, 


et  cetera. 


Mr.  Crowe's  Nig'it  Side  of  Nature. 


,.U|lil«|l|UJ.)^IPiW^ 


.,:k 


23 


Ilandwriting  without  a  medium  took  place  on  the  wall 
of  Bclshazzar's  palace.  For  similar  occurrences  in  mod- 
ern times,  see  Chapter  vi.  Visions  similar  to  those 
seen  by  Ezckiel,  Peter,  Daniel,  John  and  others,  though 
not  stretching  so  far  into  the  future  as  the  two  latter,  are 
now  received  by  numerous  mediums. 

Spirit  agency  was  unusually  active  just  before  the  birth 
of  Christ,  and  for  some  time  after,  until  corrupt  influ- 
ences were  gradually  introduced  into  the  primitive  church. 
As  the  night  of  the  dark  ages  set  in,  spirit  mauifesta- 
tions  almost  ceased,  or  were  mixed  up  with  so  much 
superstition  as  to  be  almost  undistiuguishable.  So  nmch 
had  spirit  intercourse  been  perverteil  and  adulterated  that 
the  reformers  of  the  sixteenth  century  refused  to  recog- 
nize it,  and  manifestations  were  infrequent  until  men's 
minds  could  recover  from  the  reaction.  To  return  to 
scripture  history  : 

A  stone  wiis  rolled  away  from  the  door  of  the  sepul- 
chre. Physical  substances  have  and  are  now  commonly 
controlled  by  invisilde  agency  in  a  similar  manner.  See 
Chapters  vi.  vu.  Compare  case  of  Moses  ;ind  Elias 
on  the  mount  w'iih  those  of  Joseph  IJrysdnle,  Methodist 
minister,  Ohio  ;  George  R.  Raymond,  N.  Y.,  and  others 
related  in  "  N.  T.  and  Modern  Miracles  Compared." 

Jesus  was  taught,  to  read  by  spirits.  For  parallel 
cases,  see  Chapter  vi. 

The  possession  ol'  the  healing  power  was  one  of  the 
signs  thiit  were  to  follow  (and  did  follow)  "  them  that 
believe."  It  is  more  common  among  modern  spiritual- 
ists than  a.nong  their  opponents.  It  was  exliiltited  to  a 
reivark;d)le  extent  simoug  the  npostlos,  and  is  now  by 
healing  me-iums.  It  is  a  striking  fact  that,  as  a  gene- 
ral thing,  no/ic  of  the  signs  that  were  to  follow  them  that 


'%, 


n 


V  ' 


i 

■>" 

s 

,t       ■, 

t       i'.' 

,     t.     tli 

; 

;•  f  ■ ' 

. 

I   ; 

li    ^ 


24 


believe,  do  follow  the  opponents  of  spiritualism,  but  all 
of  them  (but  one)  follow  its  advocates,  though  some  of 
them  tire  rare. 

The  gift  of  tongues  (Mark  IG  :  16,  17  ;  Acts  2  ;  and 
1  Cor.  12),  another  of  the  signs  that  "follow  them  that 
believe,"  was  also  frequently  manifested  by  the  primitive 
Christians,  and  is  by  modern  mediums.     A  description 
of  various  kinds  of  mediums  is  given  in  1  Cor.  12  :  1 — 10  ; 
13  :  ].     Paul  places  the  gift  of  prophecy  at  the  head  of 
the  list,     1   Cor.   14:  1  —  "Follow  after  charity,   and 
desire   spiritual  gifts,  but  rather  that  ye  may  prophesy." 
13  :  2  —  "  And  though  I  have  prophecy,  an^i  understand 
all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge  "  &c.    This  plainly  implies 
that  the  possession  of  the  gift  enabled  one  to  understand 
more  than  he  could  attain  to  in  his  ordinary  state,  and  is 
what  is  experienced  by  several  mediums  in  modern  times, 
who  may  have  had  their  capacities  for  understanding  spirit- 
ual truths  much  enlarged,  and  what  was  once  mysterious 
becomes  plain.    What  appears  inconsistent  is  thus  harmon- 
ized.   1  Cor.  14 :  24,  2-5.   "But if  all  prophesy,  and  there 
come  in  one  that  believethnot,  or  one  unlearned,  he  is  con- 
vinced of  all,  he  is  judged  of  all,  and  thus  are  the  secrets 
of  his  heart  made  manifest.     For  ye  may  all  prophesy 
one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may  be  comforted  ; 
for  the  spirit  of  the  prophets  is  sut)ject  to  the  prophets." 
The   executioner,    of  Jesus,  having  blindfolded  him, 
said,  "  Prophesy  unto  us  who  is  he  that  smote  thee." 
In  this  case,  prophecy  evidently  is  not  used  as  referring 
to  the  future,  but  to  the  past.     From  the  preceding  pas- 
sages, it  is  evident  that  proi)hecy  does  not  necessarily 
refer  to  furetelling  future  events,  as  doing  so  in  the  case 
of  an  unbeliever,  as  mentioned  in  1  Cor.  14 :  24,  25,  could 
not  result  in  his  immediate  conversion,  nor  "  niidio  the 


I 


25 


,  but  all 
some  of 

i  2  ;  and 

hem  that 
»rimitivc 
scription 
1—10; 
head  of 
itv,  and 
'ophcsi/.*' 
idcrstand 
'f  implies 
derstand 
,  and  is 
11  times, 
ig  spirit- 
y'sterious 
harmon- 
nd  there 
c  is  con- 
e  secrets 
>rophesy 
ifortcd  ; 
ophets." 
ed  him, 
h  thee." 
efeiTing 
iig  pas- 
:cssarily 
:hc  case 
5,  could 
ake  the 


secrets  of  his  heart  manifest ;  "  time  would  be  required 
for  the  fulfilment  of  the  prediction ;  but  if  those  who  had 
the  gift  were  what  are  now  called  speaking  mediums, 
who  could  be  impressed  mentally  or  physically  by  spirits, 
and  thus  know  the  thoughts  of  another,  as  some  modern 
mediums  can,  it  is  easily  conceivable  that  the  result 
spoken  of  by  the  apostle,  namely,  sudden  conversion  of  a 
sceptic,  would  be  produced.  Such  results  have  been  pro- 
duced by  the  modern  manifestations  repeatedly.  That 
"  the  spirits  of  the  prophets  are  subject  to  the  prophets," 
evidently  implies  that  those  who  had  the  gift  of  proph- 
ecy in  Paul's  time  were  in  communication  with  the  spir- 
its of  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  conclu- 
sively establishes  the  reality  of  such  communications, 
especially  if  taken  in  connection  with  Rev.  19  :  10, 
22  :  8 — 10,  where  the  fact  of  a  communication  from  the 
spirit  of  a  prophet  is  distinctly  stated,  said  communica- 
tion consisting  of  twenty-two  chapters.  "  Subject  to  " 
would  merely  imply  a  mutual  attraction  between  individ- 
uals of  corresponding  mental  organization  in  different 
states  of  existence. 

Another  extraordinary  physical  demonstration  was  in 
the  release  of  the  apostle  from  prison  twice  by  spirit 
power.  If  they  cannot  control  gross  matter,  us  is  atfirmed 
by  pseudo-scientifics,  how  could  they  open  the  gates  of 
Peter's  prison  ?  Acts  5  :  19,  20  ;  12  :  1 — 11.  In  an- 
other case,  an  earth* juake  opened  the  prison  doors,  17  : 
2G.  We  are  told  not  to  "  despise  prophesyings  "  and 
that  "  the  manifestation  of  the  spirit  —  that  is,  all  influ- 
ences from  the  spirit  world  —  is  given  unto  every  man 
to  profit  withal."  Paul  directs  us  to  "try  the  spir- 
its ;"  a  conclusive  proof  that  all  that  communicate  are  not 
bad,  as  Rev.  Charles  Bceeacr  .and  Dr.  Phelps  conclude. 

3 


26 


Ileb.  1 :  14.     "  Are  they  (angels)  not  all  ministering 
spirits,  sent  unto  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation?" 

In  the    case  of  the  baptism    of  the    eunuch,  these 
expressions,   "The  spirit,"  "The  (or  an)  angel  of  the 
Lord,"  "  The  spirit  of  the  Lord,"  are  all  used  as  synon- 
ymous,   denoting  an  individualized  spirit ;    hence    the 
expression,  "  The  spirit,"  as  generally  used,  must  de- 
note  the  spiritual   operations   of   the    Deity  generally, 
whether  performed   through  the  medium  of  individual 
spirits  or  influences  of  a  general  nature  from  the  spirit 
world.     Cornelius,  Acts  10,  "  saw  in  a  vision  evidently 
an  angel  of  God  coming  to  him."     CornGlius  and  two 
others,  by    spirit    direction,  found  Peter,  who,  by  the 
same  means,  was  informed  of   their  arrival.     The   pur- 
pose   of  these  visits  by  spirits  was  similar  to  what  is 
stated  to  be  the  end  of  spirit  intercourse   now.     Then 
it  was  to  break  down   the    barrier   between    the  Jews 
and  Gentiles  ;   ?iotv  it   is    "  to  draw  mankind  together 
into  harmony,"   and  to    "  unite  mankind."    (Messages 
from  Calhoun's  and  Channing's  spirits.)     This  was  done 
then,  by  demonstrating  that  spirit  influences  were  com- 
mon to  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  Acts  10 :  45  ;  now,  by 
proving  thiit   it    is   not  conflned   to    those  entertaining 
particular  views  on  certain  points,  ])ut  comes  to  candid 
minds  of   all  sects,  and  of  no  sect,  thereby  uiidorniin- 
ing  the  spirit  of    sectarianism,  disunity,  discord,  —  the 
opposite   principle    to    Christianity,  whose    niitare    and 
essence  is  love. 

Do  modern  opponents  of  spirit  intercourse  believe  the 
New  Testament  ? 


FACT   NO.  4,   BY   KUFU3   ELMER. 
A  man  -with  whose  cliaractor  I  am  somewhat  acquaiiiterl,  a  well 
meaning  individual  of  peculiar  tomporamont  and  impulsive  nature, 


27 


these 


becoming  interested  in  spiritualism,  exhibited  unusual  zeal,  and  finally 
commenced  lecturing  on  the  subject.  This  occasioned  great  excitement 
iu  his  ncigliborhood,  and  made  such  havoc  with  the  established  forms 
of  religion  in  the  place,  that  the  civil  authorities,  in  obedience  to  pub- 
lic opinion,  felt  called  upon  to  have  him  arrested.  Having  accom- 
plished this  purpose,  he  was  thnist  into  jail,  and  put  in  irons  ! 

But  so  many  strange  storiea  were  in  circulation  concerning  the 
alleged  spiritual  phenomena,  that  the  warden,  no^,vithstunding  the  pris- 
oner seemed  doubly  secure,  employed  two  military  gentlemen  to  watch 
him  during  the  night. 

The  prisoner,  conscious  of  his  entire  innocence,  and  believing  enthu- 
siastically in  the  guardianship  of  spirits,  was  enjoying  his  accustomed 
repose,  when,  all  at  once,  the  electrical  or  odic  lights,  so  frecjuently 
scon  in  the  circles,  filled  the  cell  where  the  prisoner  was  confined,  and 
the  presence  of  the  spirits  magnetized  not  only  the  prisoner,  but  his 
keepers.  The  prisoner  was  now  relieved  from  his  irons,  the  doors  of 
the  jail  seemed  to  open  by  iheir  own  effort,  as  various  ponderable  ob- 
jects have  recently  been  seen  to  move  in  presence  of  thousands.  The 
prisoner  was  the  medium  in  this  case,  and,  being  in  the  superior  condi- 
tion, saiv  the  spirit  who  had  affected  him  and  produced  the  physical 
manifestations.  The  influence  was  irresistible,  and  the  medium  fol- 
lowed the  spirit  out  of  doors  into  the  second  street  from  the  jail,  when 
he  awoke,  and,  on  coming  out  of  the  state,  was  disposed  to  doubt  —  as 
most  persons  do  who  witness  similar  manifestations  —  for  some  time 
what  had  occurred,  thinking  it  might  be  a  dream  or  hallucination. 

Becoming  convinced,  at  length,  that  he  was  really  at  liberty,  he 
went  directly  to  the  house  of  a  certain  spiritualist —  where  a  number 
of  person?!,  who  were  supposed  to  bo  deluded,  were  "holding  a  circle' 
—  and  rapped  at  the  gate.  The  maid  wont  out  to  see  what  occasioned 
the  rapping,  and,  on  her  return,  told  the  circle  that  it  was  the  pris- 
oner. But  the  members  were  incredulous,  thinking,  perhaps,  that  the 
girl  might  be  crazy,  or  otherwise  non  compos  mentis.  When  they 
found  that  the  domestic  was  of  sound  mind,  they  supposed  that  the 
prisoner  was  dead,  and  that  it  was  Ms  spirit  which  rappi  I,  —  it  being 
a  counnon  thing  for  spirits,  after  the  death  of  the  body,  to  numifest 
themselves  to  men.  Still  the  members  of  the  circle  were  strongly  in- 
clined to  suspect  that  there  might  be  something  wrong,  since  they  were 
not  yet  sulliciently  developed  to  accredit  the  more  wonderful  manifes- 
tations ;  but  they  were  soon  convinced  of  their  mistake,  and,  I  pre- 
sume, have  not  doubted  since.  —  Spir.  Tel.,  No.  9. 


28 


i 


f! 


RUFU3  ELMER'S  EXPLANATION. 

Those  viho  have  requested  the  particulars  of  the  instance  of  spir- 
itual manifostations  recorded  in  the  fourth  number  of  my  facts, 
should  bear  in  mind  that  I  did  not  say  that  every  member  of  the 
twelve  churches  of  Springfield  realhj  believed  the  story,  but  only  that, 
without  an  exception,  they  professed  to.  And,  moreover,  they  profess 
to  believe  in  far  more  wonderful  spiritual  manifestations  said  to  have 
occurred  eighteen  hundred  years  ago.  They  only  deny  such  as  ap- 
proximate our  own  time,  and  are  susceptible  of  demonstration. 

"  Behold !  ye  despisers,  who  wonder  and  perish  !  for  I  work  a  work 
in  your  day,  which  ye  will  in  no  wise  believe,  though  a  man  "  —  or  any 
number  of  men  —  "  declare  it  unto  you." 

The  facts  contained  in  the  article  referred  to  have  already  been 
"  placed  before  the  public,  sustained  by  evidence,  and  sanctioned  by 
authority,"  which  spiritualists  think  should  silence  all  cavils,  and  re- 
move all  doubts,  except  among  those  whose  professed  piety  is  only 
exceeded  by  their  practical  infidelity. 

Be  it  known  to  all  men  that  the  required  authority  may  be  found  in 
the  twelfth  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  —  Spir.  Tel.,  No.  20. 


M 


CHAPTER  11. 


SPIUIT  INTERCOURSE   AMONG   THE   HEATHEN   NATIONS. 


Spirit  intercourse  among  the  heathen  nations  was  com- 
mon, but  gross  in  its  nature  and  objects.  As  then  prac- 
tised, it  was  superseded  by  the  superior  order  of  commu- 
nications received  under  the  Christian  dispensation  ;  con- 
sequently the  oracles  ceased  about  the  time  of  Christ. 
Their  genuineness,  however,  was  generally  allowed  by 
the  priuutive  Christians,  who  cultivated  spiritual  inter- 
course in  accordance  with  apostolic  instructions.  Jam- 
blichus,  an  ancient  writer,  says,  in  reference  to  the  efTccfc 
of  spirit  intercourse  on  the  mediums  : 


^ 


m 


*m3! 


29 


"  Some  are  agitalt-d  throughout  the  whole  body  ;  oth- 
ers ill  some  of  their  members  ;  others  again  are  entirely 
quiet.  *  *  Again,  the  body  either  appears  better,  or 
larger,  or  is  borne  aloft  through  the  air."  As  to  the 
cause,  he  says,  it  *«  is  no  other  than  illumination  emanat- 
ing from  the  very  gods  themselves,  and  spirits  coming 
forth  from  them,  and  an  obsession  by  which  they  hold  us 
fidly  and  absolutely,  absorbing  all  our  faculties  even,  and 
exterminating  all  human  motions  and  operations,  even  to 
consciousness  itself ;  bringing  discourses  which  they  Avho 
utter  them  do  not  understand,  but  pronounce  with  furious 
lip,  so  that  our  whole  being  becomes  secondary  and  sub- 
servient to  the  sole  power  of  the  occupying  God." — Jam- 
blichus  lie.  Myst.  sec.  3,  c.  5,  quoted  in  Beecher's  Re- 
port. 

Several  curious  details  respecting  ancient  spirit  man- 
ifestations will  be  found  in  "  The  Apocatastasis,  a  Tract 
for  the  Times."  The  author  condemns  modern  spirit- 
ualism because  of  its  antiquity  ;  other  writers  because  ol' 
its  supposed  novelty.  The  opponents  of  spiritualism 
seem  likely,  after  a  while,  to  actualize  the  story  of 
the  Kilkenny  cats.  The  last  tail  has  probably  appeared 
in  the  form  of  a  book  by  John  B.  Dods.  One  objects 
that  infidels  are  made  Christians  by  it;  another,  that 
Christians  will  be  made  infidels.  But  "  wisdom  is  justi- 
fied of  her  children." 

Simonides  of  Cheos,  a  poet,  arriving  at  the  sea-shore, 
intending  to  embark  the  ensuing  day,  found  an  unburied 
body  which  he  had  decently  interred.  That  night,  this 
deceased  person  appeared  to  him,  and  bade  him  by  no 
means  go  to  sea,  as  he  had  proposed.  Simonides  obeyed 
tlie  injunction,  and  beheld  the  vessel  founder  as  he  stood 
on  the  shore.  —  Night  Side  Nature,  p.  92. 
3* 


80 


CIIArTER    III. 

SPIRITUAL  MANIFESTATIONS   AMONG   THE  EARLY   CHRISTIANS. 

SELECTED  FROM  ARTICLE  BY  WM.  FISHBOUGH.      SPIRITUAL 
TELEGRAPH  PAPERS,   VOL.  III.  P.  45. 

Jesus  and  his  apostles  scorn  to  have  considered  a  perpetuity  of  the 
spiritual  intercourse  during  the  after  ages  of  the  tnie  Church  as  a 
77iatter  of  course,  and  show  by  several  implications  that  they  expected 
its  continuance  so  long  as  Christians  remained  faithful.  Thus  Jesus 
promised  the  Holy  Spirit  indiscriminately  to  those  who  would  sincerely 
and  devoutly  ask  it  of  the  Father  (Luke  11 :  13),  and  Paul  distinctly 
characterized  the  Christian  dispensation  as  one  which  brought  those 
who  received  it  "  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general 
assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born,  which  are  written  in  heaven, 
and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  per- 
feet."  Ileb.  12 :  22,  23.  It  appears  that  during  the  age  of  the  apos- 
tles, proj^hets,  seers,  discerners  of  spirits,  speakers  with  divers  tongues, 
workers  of  miracles,  and  other  "  mediums  "  for  divine  and  spiritual 
influences,  existed  and  were  multiplied  in  the  Church  everywhere ;  and 
there  is  no  evidence,  either  in  reason  or  history,  to  show  that  the  gifts 
of  these  were  all  taken  away,  and  the  lamp  of  heaven  forever  ceased 
its  direct  shinings,  as  the  last  of  the  apostles  sank  into  his  grave. 

The  learned  Dr.  Mosheim,  in  treating  the  history  of  the  Church 
during  the  second  century,  says,  "  It  is  easier  to  conceive  than  to  ex- 
press how  much  the  miraculofiis  poiccrs  and  the  extraordinary  divine 
gifts  which  the  Christians  exercised  on  various  occasions  contributed 
to  extend  ihe  limits  of  the  Church.  The  gift  of  foreign  tongues  ap- 
pears to  have  gradually  ceased  as  soon  as  many  nations  became 
enlightened  with  the  truth,  and  numerous  churches  of  Christians  were 
every  where  established,  for  it  became  less  necc  -sary  than  it  was  at  first. 
But  the  other  gifts  with  which  God  favored  tlio  rising  Church  of  Christ 
were,  as  we  learn  from  numerous  testimonies  of  the  ancients,  still  con- 
ferred upon  particular  persons  here  and  there."*    Dr.  Murdock,  the 

*  Moshoim,  Eccl.  Hist.,  B.  I.,  Cent.  II.,  Part  1.,  Chap.  I.,  §  8. 


..,^ 


^m 


81 


translator  of  Moshcini,  sanctions  these  statements  with  emphasis,  add- 
ing a  long  note,  in  which  ho  argues  the  point,  and  refers  to  numerous 
passages  in  the  ancients  to  establish  it. 

The  epistles  of  St.  Barnabas,  St.  Clement,  St.  Ignatius,  St.  Polj' 
carp,  and  the  Shepherd  of  Ilermas,  written  immediately  after  the 
apostolic  age,  or  perhaps  one  or  two  of  them  a  little  before  the  death 
of  St.  John,  distinctly  recognized  the  existence  of  miraculous,  prophetic, 
and  other  extraordinary  spiritual  gifts  in  the  Christian  Church  during 
the  lives  of  their  authors ;  and  these  epistles  were  for  a  long  time 
afterward  publicly  read  in  the  Christian  churches  as  possessing  an  au- 
thority little  inferior  to  that  of  the  apostolic  writings  thonisclvcs.  St. 
Clement  is  supposed  to  be  the  Clement  spoken  of  by  Paul  in  Phil.  4  : 
3.  St.  Ilermas  was  a  brother  of  a  bishop  of  Home,  and  wrote  his 
tract  in  his  old  age,  about  the  middle  of  the  second  ce  i-y.  The 
revelation  which  it  contains  purports  to  have  been  given  him  by  an 
an'^ol  who  appeared  in  the  habit  of  a  shepherd ;  and  hence  the  book  is 
entitled  "  The  Shepherd  of  Hermas." 

The  account  which  Ilermas  gave  of  his  experience  will  be  recog- 
nized as  bearing  a  close  resemblance  to  some  experiences  of  modern 
mediums.  In  the  beginning  of  his  revelations  he  fell  into  an  ecstasy, 
and  he  was  carried  away  in  spirit,  when  an  angel,  in  the  form  of  a 
young  woman,  appeared  to  him,  and  convinced  him  of  some  particular 
sin  to  which  ho  was  addicted.  At  another  time  an  angol,  i;i  the  form 
of  an  aged  and  venerable  woman,  appeared  to  him  while  on  his  knees 
in  prayer,  and  took  him  by  the  hand  and  raised  him  up,  and  made 
some  revelation  to  him  respecting  (he  Church.  When,  at  a  subsc([ucnt 
time,  ho  was  walking  through  the  fields  and  praying  tlntt.  this  revela- 
tion might  be  confirmed,  ho  heard  something  like  a  human  voice  saying 
to  him,  "  Doubt  not,  Ilermas."  The  Shcplierd  Spirit,  from  whom  ho 
received  his  principal  visions  and  revelations,  appeared  to  him  af\cr 
this,  and  was  for  a  long  time  his  froqueut  companion.  Finally,  after 
he  had  written  his  book,  he  says,  "The  angel  which  had  delivered  me 
to  that  shepherd  came  into  the  house  and  sat  upon  the  bed,  and  that 
shepherd  stood  at  his  right  hand  :  then  he  called  me  and  said,  '  I 
delivered  thee  and  thy  house  to  this  shepherd  that  thou  mightest  be 
protected  by  him.'  And  I  said, '  Yes,  Lord ;'  and  he  added,  '  Who- 
soever shall  do  according  to  the  commands  of  this  shepherd,  who  is  a 
prince  of  great  authority,  and  in  great  honor  with  God,  he  shall  live ; 
but  they  that  shall  not  keep  his  commands  shall  deliver  themselves 
unto  death,  and  shall  be  every  one  guilty  of  his  own  blood.     But  I 


M 


/^' 


'' 

■  ('■'  5 

,  'l 

li- 

fA' 

■     ^    - 

w 

'».; 

P' 

i:.. 

■'. 

■h' 

'V 

i  : 

1 

1, 

11 

I'l 


say  unto  thee,  keep  these  commandments,  and  thou  shnlt  find  a  euro 
for  all  thy  sins.'  " 

St.  I0NATIU8  was  an  iramediato  disciple  and  personal  associate  of  the 
beloved  St.  John,  and  was  by  the  latter  appointed  bishop  of  Antioch. 
lie  was  said  to  be  "  a  man  in  all  things  like  unto  tho  apostles."  lie 
was  summoned  from  his  bishopric  to  Rome  in  the  year  127,  where  ho 
suffered  martyrdom  by  being  exposed  to  tho  fury  of  wild  beasts  in  the 
theatre.  He  was  accompanied  to  Rome  by  some  of  the  members  of 
his  church,  who  wrote  an  account  of  his  journey  and  arrival  there, 
and  testify  to  the  existence  of  visions  and  spiritual  apparitions  at  that 
age  in  the  following  passages :  "  The  night  after  his  (Ignatius')  suffer- 
ings," say  they,  "  we  were  together  watching  in  prayer,  that  God 
would  vouchsafe  us  (weak  men)  some  assurance  of  what  had  passed ; 
whereupon  several  of  the  company  fell  into  a  slumber  (ecstatical,  be- 
cause ivatchimj  in  prayer),  and  therein  saw  visions  in  which  Ignatius 
was  represented  ;  which,  when  we  had  conferred  togef  liei ,  we  glorified 
God,  being  thereby  assured  of  his  blessedness." 

St.  Polycakp  also,  in  the  earlier  part  of  his  life,  was  a  personal 
disciple  and  associate  of  St.  John,  and  was  by  that  apostle  appointed 
bishop  of  Smyrna.  This  holy  man  suffered  martyrdom  for  the  Chris- 
tian cause  in  the  year  147,  when  at  an  advanced  age.  An  account 
of  his  last  suffering,  with  what  preceded  and  followed,  was  written  in 
a  circular  letter  by  some  members  of  his  church  at  Smyrna,  and 
directed  to  all  other  churches;  and  some  particulars  of  the  history  arc 
entirely  conclusive  as  to  the  manifestation  of  spiritual  presence  and  in- 
fluence in  those  days.  Speaking  of  several  others  who  suffered  mar- 
tyrdom at  the  same  time,  they  say,  "  While  they  were  under  torments 
they  were  absent  from  the  body  (probably  under  the  ecstatical  impres- 
sions), or,  rather,  the  Lord  Christ  stood  by  them,  and  conversed  with 
them,  and  revealed  things  to  them  inconceivable  by  man,  as  if  they 
were  no  longer  men,  but  already  become  angels.  As  to  Poly  carp,  he 
saw  a  vision  three  days  before  ho  was  taken  ;  and  behold,  the  pillow 
under  his  head  he  saw  all  in  a  flame ;  whereupon,  turning  to  those 
about  him,  he  said,  prophetically,  '  I  shall  be  burnt  alive.'  After  his 
apprehension,  and  while  he  was  going  unto  the  place  of  execution, 
there  came  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  '  Be  strong,  and  quit  thyself 
like  a  man,  I'olycarp.'  Now  no  one  saw  who  spoke  to  him,  but  many 
of  our  brethren  heard  the  voice."  After  describing  the  scenes  of  the 
execution,  the  writers  say,  "  Such  was  the  end  of  Polycarp,  who,  in 
our  times,  was  a  truly  apostolical  and  prophetical  teacher ;  for  every 


9 


33 


word  that  wont  out  of  his  mouth  either  has  been  already  fulfilled  or 
will  be."  The  writer  of  the  copy  of  this  account,  from  which  the  fore- 
going is  extracted,  adds,  "  This  cpistlo  was  transcribed  from  the  copy 
of  IrenicuH,  the  disciple  of  1  'olycarp,  by  Cuius ;  after  which  I,  Pio- 
nius,  wrote  it  from  tho  same  copy,  which  I  found,  hij  a  revelation, 
xohcrein  Pubjcarp  appeared,  and  directed  me  to  it,  as  I  have  and  do 
declare  in  a  most  solemn  manner." 

Justin  IMartyr,  an  eminent  apologist  and  defender  of  Christianity, 
who  flourished  about  the  raiddc  of  the  second  century,  affirmed,  accord- 
ing to  Eusebius,  that  the  gift  of  prophecy  shone  brightly  in  the  Church 
in  his  time.  About  the  year  180,  Athenagoras,  in  an  apology  which 
he  was  commissioned  by  his  Christian  brethren  to  carry  to  the  Em- 
peror of  Home,  describes  in  it  what  in  our  phrase  would  be  called 
"  speaking  meditims,"  and  which  seem  to  have  abounded  in  the  Church 
at  those  times  under  the  names  of  prophets  and  prophetesses.  "  I  call 
them  prophets,"  says  he,  "  who  being  out  of  themselves  and  their  mcii 
thoughts,  did  utter  forth  whatsoever  by  tho  impelling  power  of  the 
Spirit  he  wrought  in  them  ;  while  the  Divine  Operator  served  himself 
of  them,  or  their  orgam,  even  as  men  do  of  a  trumpet.  Hewing  through 
it.  Thus  have  wo  prophets  for  witnesses  and  affirmers  of  our  faith ; 
and  is  it  not  equal  and  worthy  of  human  reason,  0  ye  emperors,  to 
yield  up  our  faith  to  the  Divine  Spirit  who  moves  the  moutJis  of  the 
jyrophets  as  his  instruments  ?  " 

Ammonius  Saccas,  a  Christian  philosopher,  who  opened  a  school  at 
Alexandria,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  second  century  (which  school  was 
for  a  long  time  in  great  repute),  taught  the  art  of  procuring  com- 
munion with  spirits,  or  demons,  as  he  called  them. 

During  the  fore  part  of  the  third  century  (spiritual  gifts  in  the 
Church  still  continuing  as  general  as  before),  Eusebius  relates,  that 
while  a  persecution  raged  at  Alexandria,  there  was  among  the  mar- 
tyrs a  young  woman  named  Potomiana,  whose  courage  and  fortitude 
under  her  last  sufferings  excited  the  astonishment  of  the  spectators. 
Three  days  after  the  execution  of  her  body,  this  .same  Potomiana  ap- 
peared in  spirit  by  night,  "  to  one  Basilides,  a  Roman  soldier,  and, 
covering  his  head  with  a  crown,  said  he  must  shortly  be  taken  away. 
The  vision  wrought  effectually  to  convert  Basilides,"  and  who,  for  his 
confession  of  faith  in  Christ,  was  loaded  with  chains,  and  shortly 
afterward  rewarded  with  the  crown  of  martyrdom.  "  Many  others, 
also,  at  the  same  time,  in  Alexandria,  were  wrought  upon  to  the  open 


'\ 


34 


u 


confession  of  their    faith  in  Clirist  by  visions  of  Potomlana,   who  in 
JrcaniH  lugod  them  to  do  so." 

TortuHiiin,  ill  his  tract  conocrning  tho  soul,  chap,  ix.,  says :  "  Wo 
had  a  right,  after  St.  John,  to  expect  prophcsyings,  und  wc  do  now 
ucknowlcdgo  tho  same  spiritual  gifts ;  for  there  is  at  this  day  living 
among  us  a  sister  who  is  partaker  of  the  gift  of  revelations,  which 
she  receives  under  ecstasy  in  the  spirit  in  tho  public  congregation  ; 
wherein  sho  converses  with  angels,  sometimes  also  with  tho  Lord,  and 
sceth  and  heareth  divine  mysteries,  and  discovcreth  the  hearts  of  somo 
persons,  and  does  minister  succor  to  such  as  desire  it ;  and  while  tho 
Scriiitures  arc  read,  or  psalms  are  singing,  or  they  arc  preaching,  or 
prayers  are  oflcred  up,  subjects  from  thence  are  ministered  in  her 
visions.  We  had  once  some  discourse  touching  the  soul  lohile  this  sis- 
ter was  in  the  spirit ;  after  tho  public  services  were  over,  and  most  of 
the  people  gone,  she  acrpuiinted  us  with  what  sho  saw,  as  the  custom 
was ;  for  these  things  are  heedfu.j  digested,  that  they  may  be  duly 
proved.  Among  other  things,  she  told  us  that  a  material  soul  was  be- 
fore licr,  and  the  Spirit  ivas  beheld  by  hcr^  beiny  of  a  qnalitij  not  void 
and  eriipiy,  hut  of  the  color  of  the  sky,  and  of  a  thin  brightness,  pre- 
servinrj  the  form  throiujhout  of  the  human  body."  What  well-informed 
spiritualist  can  fail  to  be  struck  with  the  similarity  of  this  description 
given  by  TcrtuUian  nnd  many  occurrences  which  aro  witnessed  at  tho 
present  day  ?  The  description  which  tho  prophetess,  mentioned  in  this 
extract,  gave  of  tho  soul,  will  be  recognized  as  perfectly  accordant 
with  the  revelations  which  Swedenborg  and  subscciueut  "  mediums  " 
have  given  on  tho  same  subject. 

Notwithstanding  there  appears  to  have  been  a  gradual  decline  and 
final  cessation  of  heathen  oracles  after  the  establishment  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  (and  wc  might  show  strong  reasons  for  believing  that 
these  oracles  were  actual  spiritual  conni  .i.iications,  as  both  heathens 
and  Christians  believed  them  to  bc\  ihc.e  seem  to  have  still  been 
among  the  heathens  some  mediums  for  s';^  irits  (or  the  alleged  gods)  for 
a  long  time  after  the  apostolic  age.  Between  these  spirits  and  their 
incJium.s  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Christian  prophets  on  the  other, 
there  was  generally  an  open  hostility  ;  but  wherever  a  trial  of  powers 
occurred,  the  heathen  spirit  was  forced  to  give  way,  showing  the  exist- 
ence still  in  the  Church  of  that  power  conferred  by  Jesus  upon  his 
disciples  to  "cast  out  devils."  Hence  wo  iind  Tertullian,  in  his  "Apol- 
ogy foi-  the  Christian  llcligion,"  boldly  challenging  all  heathendom  to 
a  trial  of  the  powers  of  their  patr(.  i  s[)irils  and  divinities,  who  were 


;.^ 


!   i 


35 


accuHioiiit'd  to  posscps  and  spcuk  through  tlie  bodies  of  certain  men. 
"Hitherto,"  fiu}'s  he,  "wo  have  used  words ;  wo  will  now  conio  to  u 
domon.Htration  oi^  the  very  thing,  that  your  (Jontilc  gods  are  no  one  of 
them  f^roatcr  than  another.  For  a  deciHJon  of  the  point,  let  any  one 
that  in  judged  to  ho  posfsessed  by  a  devil  be  brought  into  open  eourt 
l.'cfuro  your  tribunals ;  when  that  spirit  shall  be  eoniuiandcd  by  a 
Christian  to  Hpcak,  he  shall  as  truly  eonless  himself  u  devil  there,  aa 
ehsewhorc  ho  falsely  claims  to  bo  a  god.  Or  let  one  equally  bo  pro- 
duced who  is  among  you  Gentiles  judged  to  be  inspired  of  God,  who 
waits  at  your  altars,  and  is  esteemed  a  saerod  por^on  by  you  ;  nayi 
though  he  bo  acted  by  one  of  your  most  venerated  deities,  be  it  Diunu, 
the  heavenly  virgin,  or  Esculapius,  that  proscribes  your  ineilicines,  and 
who  pretends  to  relievo  the  dying,  yet  these,  oi  .,nj  .:  .,:>,  when  they 
nrc  sunnnoned,  if  they  dare  to  lie  unto  the  Christian  summoning,  and 
if  they  do  not  confess  themselves  openly  to  be  devils,  then  let  that  rc- 
proaehi'ul  Christian's  blood  be  spilt  by  you  on  the  spot." 

Tertullian  died  about  the  year  231.  3Iosheim  informs  us  that  in 
the  third  century  the  office  of  exorcist,  as  a  special  olliee,  was  created 
in  the  churches,  it  being  tho  duty  of  the  one  holding  it  to  east  out 
these  subtile  and  unchristian  spirits  from  tho  bodies  of  such  as  were 
infested  by  thorn,  and  which  they  did  by  a  process  similar  to  that  em- 
ployed by  the  apostles. 

Thus,  employing  a  collection  from  the  ancient  Fathers  now  before 
us,  as  well  as  the  testimony  of  Moshel^,  Eiuebius,  and  others,  wc 
might  go  on  to  cite  numerous  passages  to  prove  that  spiritual  mani- 
festations, in  tho  form  of  prophetic  dreams,  visions,  impressions,  speak- 
ing impulses,  power  to  cast  out  devils,  etc.,  continued  mure  or  less  in 
the  (!hristian  Church,  and  were  universally  recognized  by  its  members, 
until  the  Church,  owing  to  outer  prosperitj',  grew  so  corrupt  and 
worldly  as  to  render  tho  free  and  general  access  and  operation  of  spir- 
itual influences  any  longer  impossible.  These  influemes  were  oper- 
ative upon  simple-hearted  and  devout  men  and  women  in  all  classes  of 
Christian  society,  and  even  simple  and  unsophisticated  little  children 
often  uttered  tho  words  of  supernal  wisdom  while  under  tho  divine 
afflatus  ;  and  by  the  revelations  tints  given  forth  the  Church  was  prin- 
cipally governed,  and  opposing  religions  were  triumphantly  vanquished 
for  more  than  two  centuries.  ImK  ed,  no  Christian  ever  thought  of 
denying  the  existence  of  these  spiritual  influences  in  the  Church  until 
near  the  age  of  Constantino.  According  to  Mosheim,  so  firm  and  gen- 
eral was  the  belief  in  spiritual  communications  in  the  fourth  century, 


B ' 


I''    ■ 


it ' 


U      i 


I  i 


^  ii 


I  J 


30 


that  St.  Ambrose  publicly  cited  the  tcsUniony  of  spirits,  called 
dajmoiis,  who  spoke  through  the  vocal  organs  of  men  {an  spirits  7iow 
do)  in  proof  of  the  falsity  of  the  doctrines  of  Arius ;  and  the  testi- 
mony was  rebutted  by  the  followers  of  Arius,  not  by  denying  the 
reality  of  those  spiritual  communications,  but  by  saying  that  Ambrose 
had  dr/ded  the  spirits  to  give  such  testimony. 

It  is  provci'i,  :.s  positively  as  any  point  can  possibly  bo  proved  by 
historioal  cvidonco,  that  the  manifestations  of  spiritual  power  and  in- 
fluence (^id  not  cease  with  the  apostolic  ago,  the  assertion  of  modern 
theologians  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,  but  that  they  continued  in 
uninterrupted  succession,  though  somewhat  declining  in  degree,  for  at 
least  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  afterward  !  I5ut,  in  proving  this,  we 
prove  at  ihe  same  time  that  spiritual  communion  is  the  normal  privi' 
lege  cj  the  true  and  faiUifid  Christian  Church,  irrespective  of  the  age 
of  the  v-orld  in  ichich  if  may  exist,  and  that  that  Church  which  denies 
the  po.':.sibility,  and  scouts  even  the  thought  of  intercourse  with  spirits 
and  angels,  must  necessarily  have  experienced  a  mournful  defection 
from  the  estate  of  that  true  and  primitive  Church,  whose  members, 
by  an  express  Divine  dispensation,  were  brought  "to  an  innumerable 
company  of  angels,  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to  God 
the  judge  of  all."  0,  professed  Church  of  Christ !  how  art  thou 
miserably  fallen  from  the  heavenly  connections  in  which  thou  wast 
placed  in  thine  earlier  days  ! 

AVe  feai  that  all  exhortation  to  the  Church  as  a  dody  is  vain,  and 
that  the  sentence  is  far  more  applicable  to  her  conmiunicants,  "  He 
that  is  unjust,  let  him  bo  unjust  still ;  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be 
holy  still,  FOR  TUE  TIME  IS  AT  HAND ! "  And  "he  that  hath  ears  to 
hear"  niny  now,  we  think,  distinctly  hear  the  angel  trumpet  sounding 
through  the  earth,  saying  to  all  who  are  willing  "  to  follow  the  Lamb 
wiirniiiusoEVER  iik  goeth,"  "  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  bo 
not  partakers  of  he  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues." 

But  this  spiritual  defection  of  the  Church  —  this  '■'falliiig  away  " 
— was  distinctly  predicted  by  the  apostle  Paul,  that  the  "  man  of  sin  " 
might  be  revealed.  (2  Thess.  2  :  3—12.)  By  the  "man  of  sin  "I 
understand  the  mature  state  of  ungodliness  in  general,  and  the  lust 
of  spiritual  power  and  dominion  in  particular,  whether  rippjying 
to  Catholics  or  Protestants  —  to  men  in  this  world  or  spirits  in  the 
other. 

Whoever  denies  its  possibility  in  the  nature  oi  existing  things,  by 
tLxat  denial  acknowledges  his  own  destitution  of  its  graces  and  privi- 


r*i. 


87 


testi- 

rr    the 

O 

iibrose 

/c(l  by 
nd  in- 
uodcrn 
lucd  in 
I,  for  at 
Lhis,  wc 
I  privi- 
the  age 
1  denies 
1  spirits 
defection 
iiorabers, 
amerable 
d  to  God 
art  thou 
bou  wast 

vain,  and 
luts,  "  He 
et  him  be 
\  cars  to 
ouiiding 
the  Lamb 
that  ye  be 

iig  away  " 
an  of  sin'' 
of  sin"  I 
lid  the  lust 
•    applying 
lits  in  the 

:  things,  by 
.-  iind  privi- 


lege.?, and  thus  utters  his  ovrn  condemnation,  as  judged  by  the  standard 
of  the  ear'y  Church.  Whoever  indiscriininatchj  denounces  the  modem 
spiritual  communications,  as  docmonism,  utters  a  sentence  equally 
severe  against  the  existing  Church,  for,  had  not  the  latter  tadly  degen- 
erated, as  to  her  spiritual  powers,  since  the  days  of  Tertullian,  she 
might  now  easily  exorcise  and  check  the  diumons,  as  Tertullian  and  his 
confrvres  exorcised  and  silenced  the  spirits  which  personated  the 
heathen  gods. 

Here,  then,  wc  rest  the  argument,  insisting  upon  the  proof  from  the 
teachings  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  the  experiences  of  the  ancient 
church,  that  any  true  and  realhj  failhfid  Church  of  Christ  will  enjoy 
communion  with  good  spirits,  with  angels,  and  with  God,  as  its  normal 
and  divinely  appointed  pririlcge,  and  will  possess  the  God-giveu  power 
of  withstanding  and  checking  all  irruptions  of  evil  from  the  lower  spir- 
itual spheres 


CIL.PTER   R'. 

SKETCHES    OF    SPIIllT   INTERCOURSE   FR0:M   THE   riFTII   TO   THE 
NINETEENTH    CENT i  •  RIES . 

A  CONNECTED  liistoiy  of  miinifcstations,  (liiiiug  this 
period,  would  be  too  voluminous,  and  somewhat  monoto- 
nous ;  a  few  specimens  only  can  be  selected.  In  Mrs. 
Crowe's  "  Night-side  of  Nature,"  a  var^t  number  of  cases 
are  related,  thou^uli  she  was  burdened  with  materials, 
and  the  arrangement  is  not  systematic. 

It  is  said  that  Peter  of  Alcantara,  a  religious  enthusiast,  who  sub- 
jected himself  to  severe  mortidcations,  was  often  surrounded  with  a 
strong  light,  and  was  raided  in  the  air,  and  sustained  without  any  visible 
support.  St.  Theresa,  also,  seems  to  have  been  subject  to  similar 
experiences.  It  is  related  that,  on  one  occasion,  and  in  presence  of  a 
groat  number  of  witnesses,  she  was  raised,  by  some  invisible  power, 
and  ivas  carried  bodily  "  onr  the  grate  of  the  door" 

4 


YV- 


11 


i'l 


38 


11 


•. 


1 1 


W    y 


Those  who  deem  it  wiser  to  dcubt  than  to  believe,  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  reject  these,  and  all  similar  facts,  as  monkish  fables,  and  even 
now  they  are  regarded  bj  many  as  the  dreams  of  enthusiasts.  How- 
ever, they  do  not  appear,  in  the  light  of  the  present,  as  at  all  improb- 
able. Indeed,  separation  from  the  world,  and  the  severe  discipline  of 
a  monastic  life,  was  by  no  means  unlikely  to  render  the  individual 
eminently  susceptible  to  spiritual  influence.  The  lives  of  the  saints 
and  martyrs  furnish  many  similar  phenomena,  and  C'lat  they  were  often 
media  for  various  forms  of  spiritual  manifestation,  is  demonstrated  by 
the  undeniable  facts  of  their  experience. 

"  Andrew  Mollers  mentions  a  woman,  who  lived  in  1G20,  who,  being 
in  a  magnetic  state,  rose  suddenly  from  the  bed  into  the  air,  in  the 
presence  of  many  persons,  and  hovered  several  yards  above  it,  as  if  she 
would  have  flown  out  of  the  window.  The  assistants  called  upon  God, 
and  forced  her  down  again.  Privy  Councillor  Ilorst  speaks  of  a  man 
in  the  same  condition,  who,  in  the  presence  of  many  respectable  wit- 
nesses, ascended  into  the  air  and  hovered  over  the  heads  of  the  people 
present,  so  that  they  ran  underneath  bira,  in  order  to  defend  him  from 
injury  should  he  fall." 

In  the  account  of  the  strange  phenomena  observed  at  the  tomb  of  the 
Abbe  Paris,  hi  17-4,  it  is  alleged  that  not  less  than  tiocniij  persons, 
whose  united  weight  could  not  have  been  less  than  one  ion,  were  per- 
mitted to  stand  on  ."„  plank  which  was  resting  on  the  body  of  a  sick 
person ;  "md  that  some  mysterious  power  was  es(M'tcd  in  the  opposite 
direction,  to  such  a  degree  that  the  parties  who  were  subjected  to  il.is 
severe  experiment  experienced  no  pain  or  injury  from  the  pressure. 

The  lifo  of  Ilarvcy  (the  discoverer  of  the  circulation  of 
the  l)loo(l)  was  saved  by  the  governor  of  Dover  refusing 
to  allow  him  to  embark  for  the  continent  with  his  friends. 
The  vessel  was  lost  with  all  on  board  ;  and  the  governor 
confessed  to  him  that  he  had  detained  him  in  conse- 
r[ucnce  of  an  injunction  he  had  received,  in  a  dream,  to 
do  so. 


i       1       , 


MANIFESTATIONS   IN   THE  WESLEY  FAMiLY. 

These  occurred  principally  in  the  house  of  John  Wes- 
ley's father,  in  1710,  "  beginning  with  a  groaning,  and, 


39 


<r 


1  accus* 
lid  even 
How- 
improb- 
plinc  of 
dividual 
le  saints 
ore  often 
rated  by 

ho,  being 
ir,  in  the 
,  lis  if  slie 
ipon  God, 
of  a  man 
;tablc  Avit- 
ho  people 
.  him  from 

omb  of  the 
III  persons, 
,  were  pcr- 
y  of  a  sick 
ic  opposite 
ted  to  I"!.-! 
rossure. 

ilation  oi' 

refusing 

IVicnds. 

frovernor 

ill  consc- 

drcLim,  to 


ulm  Wes- 
iiing,  and, 


subsequently,  pvocooding  to  all  manner  of  noises,  lifting 
of  latches,  clattering  of  ^vindo^vs,  knockings  of  a  mysteri- 
ous kind,"  &c.,  &c.  Tlie  family  were  not  generally 
frightened,  but  the  young  children,  when  asleep,  showed 
symptoms  of  great  terror.     This  lasted  over  a  month. 

In  reference  to  it,  Mrs.  Emily  Wesley,  subseipiently 
Mrs.  Harper,  sister  of  John  Wesley,  wrote  her  brother 
Samuel,  as  follows : 

I  am  so  far  from  being  superstitious,  that  I  icas  too  much  hid'nied  to 
inJideUty,  so  that  I  heartily  rejoice  at  having  such  an  opportunity  of 
conviucing  myself,  past  doubt  or  scruple,  of  the  exiatouce  of  some  beings 
besides  those  we  see. 

Such  has  been  the  experience  of  thousands  of  infidels 
since. 

On  the  same  occurrences.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  remarks 

as  follows : 

But  all  suppositions  of  this  kind  (collusions,  tricks,  &c.)  arc  com- 
pletely nullified  by  the  preceding  letter  of  Mrs.  Harper,  which  .states, 
that  even  to  thirty-four  years  afterwards  Jcffry  (the  name  .-he  gave  to 
the  spirit)  eontiuacd  to  molest  her.  Did  her  father's  servants,  and  the 
Epworth  neighbors,  pursue  her  for  thirty-four  years,  through  her  vari- 
ous settlements,  from  1710  to  1750,  and  were  even  at  that  time  play- 
ing their  pranks  against  her  in  London  ?  How  ridiculous  and  absurd! 
Aad  this  is  the  very  best  solution  of  these  facts  that  Dr.  I'riostly  could 
...fiv"  I'L  in  defence  of  his  system  of  materialism.  The  letter  of  Mrs. 
■.■',;•.(  V  ^  *  *  removes  the  last  subterfuge  of  determinate  incre- 
duli.^  .id  false  philosophy  on  the  subject.  A  philosopher  should  not 
be  sati,-fK.a  with  the  reasons  advanced  by  Dr.  Priestly.  lie  who  will 
maintain  his  ereeil,  in  opposition  to  hi.s  .senses,  and  the  most  undi.-jguised 
testimony  of  the  mo.st  respectable  witnesses,  had  better  at  once,  lor  his 
own  credit's  sake,  throw  the  story  in  the  region  of  doubt,  where  all 
.such  relations,  no  matter  ho\v  authenticated, 

«'  Up  whii'lotl  aluft. 

Fly  o'er  tlio  Imck  side  df  tlio  world  far  ofi'. 
Into  a  Ihii'.i)  Livgo  and  .^road  !  '" 

uid,  .  •.siead  of  its  being  called  the  paradise  of  fools,  it  may  be  styled 


I<    'I 


-v 


40 


i% 


'I 


r    ?! 


the  limbo  of  philosophic  materialists,  into  which  they  hurry  whatever 
they  cannot  comprehend,  choose  not  to  believe,  or  please  to  call  puper- 
Ftitions  and  absurd. —  See  Clarke's  Lives  of  the  Wesley  Family,  for  full 
details,  &c. 

REV.  JOHN   WESLEY  Vtrsus  MODERN  METHCDIST3. 

From  his  Journal,  25tli  of  May,  17G8,  quoted  in  Sell- 
ing's Pneumatology,  edited  by  Professor  Bush,  p.  272  : 

Being  at  Sunderland,  I  took  down,  from  one  who  had  feared  God 
from  her  infancy,  one  of  the  strangest  accounts  I  ever  read;  yet,  I  can 
find  no  pretence  to  d'-'ielieve  it.  The  well-known  character  of  the 
person  excludes  all  susj.  ■  *"  fraud,  and  the  nature  of  the  circum- 
stances themselves  exclude?        ^jossibility  of  a  delusion.     *•     =^     * 

It  is  true,  likewise,  that  the  i'Jnglish  in  general,  and,  indeed,  most  of 
the  men  of  learning  in  Europe,  have  given  up  all  account  of  witches 
and  apparitions  as  mere  old  wives'  fables.  I  am  sorry  for  it ;  and  I 
willingly  take  this  opportunity  of  entering  my  solemn  protest  against 
this  violent  compliment  which  so  many  believe  the  Bible  pays  to  those 
who  do  not  believe  it.  I  owe  them  no  such  service.  I  take  knowledge 
that  these  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  outcry  which  has  been  raised,  and 
with  such  insolence  spread  through  the  nation,  in  direct  opposition  not 
only  to  the  Bible  but  to  the  suffrages  of  the  wisest  and  best  of  men  in 
all  ages  and  nations.  They  well  know  (whether  Christians  know  it  or 
not),  that  the  giving  up  of  witchcraft  (the  operation  of  malignant  or 
infernal  influence)  is,  in  effect,  giving  up  of  the  Bible.  And  they 
know,  on  the  other  hand,  that  if  but  o7ie  accoimt  of  the  intercourse  of 
men  with  separate  spirits  be  admitted,  their  whole  castle  in  the  air 
[deism,  atheism,  viaitrialism)  falls  to  the  r/round. 

In  reference  to  the  manifestations  at  the  Epworth  par- 
sonage, jMrs.  Wesley  thus  wrote  her  son  Samuel : 

Though  I  am  not  of  those  who  will  believe  nothing  supernatural,  but 
am  rather  inclined  to  think  there  would  be  frequent  intercourse  between 
good  spirits  and  us,  did  not  our  deep  lapse  into  sensuality  prevent  it,  &c. 

This  has  been  since  ascertained  to  be  the  case,  and 
explains  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  truthful  spirit  commu- 
nications. 


*-..*_ 


41 


MEIIIODISTS   OXCE   SPIRITUALISTS- 

Half  Pay,  III.,  Dec.  8,  ISuO. 
To  TiiE  Editor  of  the  Teleohapu  : 

Dear  Sir  —  I  fiad  the  followiu^  In  the  "  English  Methodist  Maga- 
zine," for  the  year  1819,  p.  208. 

"  To  THE  Editor  of  the  *  Methodist  MAr.AziNE  :' 

"  Sir  —  At  the  SheflSold  Conference  of  1817,  when  examining  the 

young  men  in  the  public  congregation,  I  was  greatly  surprised  liy  the 

extraordinary  declaration  of  one  of  the  preachers.     The  ctfect   his 

narrative  produced  upon  the  audience  induced  mo  to  request  him  to 

commit  to  paper  what  he  had  .«o  distinctly  detailed,  as  it  contains  a 

well-authenticated  account  of  what  infidelity  has  affected  to  deny,  and 

many  well-informed  (JhrLstians  receive  with  suspicion  and  doubt.    Your 

insertion  of  his  letter  to  me  will,  at  least,  afi'ord  some  further  evidence 

on  a  question  which  it-  of  such  high  interest  and  importance  to  the 

world. 

"  J.  GacltePv. 
"  RooiiUiiTER,  Feb.  i,  1818." 

"  5Ie.  Peesidest  : 

'■^  Hon.  Sir  —  According  to  your  desire,  I  take  up  my  pen  to  give 
you  the  particulars  of  a  solomifact,  which  was  the  first  grand  means 
of  leading  my  mind  seriously  to  think  of  those  solemn  realities  —  death, 
judgment,  and  eternity. 

"  A  sister  of  mine  being  married  to  a  gentleman  of  the  army,  we 
received  intelligence  that  the  regiment  to  which  he  belonged  had  orders 
for  one  of  the  Spanish  isles  (Minorca).  One  night  (sixteen  years 
back),  about  ten  o'clock,  as  his  wife,  his  child,  an  elder  sister,  and 
myself,  were  sitting  in  a  back  room,  the  shutters  being  closed,  bolted, 
and  barred,  and  the  yard  door  locked,  suddenly  a  light  shone  through 
the  window,  the  shutters,  and  bars,  and  illumined  the  room  we  sat  in ; 
we  looked,  started,  and  beheld  iJic  spirit  of  a  murdered  brother !  Hio 
(••ye  was  fixed  on  his  wife  and  child  alternately.  He  waved  his  hand, 
smiled,  continued  about  half  a  minute,  then  vanished  from  our  sight. 
The  moment  before  the  spirit  disappeared,  my  sister  cried,  '  lie  's  dead ! 
he 's  dead  I '  and  fainted  away,  Iler  little  boy  ran  to  his  father's 
spirit,  and  wept  because  it  would  not  stay.  A  short  time  after  this, 
wo  receiveil  a  letter  from  the  colonel  of  the  regiment,  bearing  the  dole- 
ful but  expected  news,  that  on  such  a  night  (the  same  on  which  we  saw 
his  spirit),  my  brother-in-law  was  fotuid  weltering  in  his  blood  (ia 
4* 


42 


■  i  I 


returning  from  his  nicss-rooni) ;  the  spark  of  life  was  not  quite  out. 
The  last  wish  he  was  heard  to  breathe  was  to  see  his  wife  and  child. 
It  was  granted  him  (in  a  certain  sense),  for,  the  very  hour  he  died  in 
the  island  of  Minorca,  that  same  hour  (according  to  the  little  difference 
of  clocks)  his  spirit  appeared  to  his  wife,  his  child,  an  elder  sister,  and 
myself,  in  Doncaster.  Before  this  event,  sir  (though  o.  boy  of  nine 
years),  I  was  a  complete  Atheist.  By  this  solemn  circumstance  I  was 
convinced  of  the  reality  of  another  world's  existence, 

-•  "  I  am,  sir,  yours,  obediently, 

■  "TuoMAs  Savage." 

"  P.  S.  —  My  sister,  from  the  night  she  saw  the  spirit  of  her  husband, 
mourned  him  as  dead,  nor  could  my  father  prevent  it  by  any  argument. 
He  endeavored  to  persuade  us  we  were  all  deceived ;  yet  he  acknowl- 
edged ibe  testimony  which  the  child  gave  staygered  him.  But  when 
the  letter  arrived  from  the  colonel  of  the  regiment,  he  was  struck  dumb. 
My  two  sisters  are  yet  living,  and  can  testify  to  the  truth  of  this  ac- 
count ;  and  at  least  one  hundred  persons,  besides  our  own  family,  can 
prove  our  mentioning  the  hour  the  spirit  appeared  several  weeks  before 
we  received  the  melancholy  letter,  and  that  the  letter  mentioned  the 
hour  and  night  that  he  died  as  the  same  in  which  we  beheld  his  spirit. 

"T.  S." 

This,  sir,  occurred  among  the  early  Methodists,  who  were,  at  that 
time,  a  spiritual  people,  and  the  "  old  magazines "  abound  with 
accounts  of  spiritual  manifestations.  Query  :  Have  the  Methodists  of 
this  day  any  such  demonstrations  of  spirit-being  ?  Alas !  how  are  the 
mighty  fallen  I  On  the  contrary,  they  are  among  the  most  bitter 
opponents  we  meet  with,  and  the  most  ignorant  and  unreasonable  of 
all  the  opposers  of  spiritual  truths. 

James  Selkric. 

Crotius  relates,  that  when  M.  do  Saumaise  was  councillor  of  the 
parliament  at  Dijon,  a  person,  who  knew  not  a  word  of  Greek,  brought 
him  a  paper  on  which  were  written  some  words  in  that  language,  but 
not  in  the  character.  He  said  that  a  voice  had  uttered  them  to  him  in 
the  night,  and  that  he  had  written  them  down,  imitating  the  sound  as 
well  as  he  could.  Saumaise  made  out  the  meaning  to  be,  "  Begone ! 
do  you  not  see  that  death  impends  ?  "  Without  knowing  the  danger 
indicated,  he  obeyed.  On  that  night  the  house  he  had  been  lodging  in 
fell  to  the  ground.  —  Night-side  of  Nature. 


i 


I 


43 


CASE    OF  OBERLIN    AXD     OTHERS,    FROM    MRS.    CROWES    NIGIIT- 

SIUE    OF   NATURE. 

I  have  heard  of  three  instances  of  persons  now  alive,  who  declare 
that  they  hold  continual  intercourse  with  their  deceased  partners.  One 
of  these  is  a  naval  officer,  whom  the  author  of  a  book  lately  published, 
called  "  The  Unseen  World,"  appears  to  be  acquainted  with.  The 
second  is  a  professor  in  a  college  in  America,  a  man  of  eminence  and 
learning,  and  full  of  activity  and  energy ;  yet  he  assured  a  friend  of 
mine  that  lie  receives  constant  visits  from  his  departed  wife,  which 
afford  hiui  great  satisfaction.  The  third  example  is  a  lady  in  this 
country.  She  is  united  to  a  second  husband,  lias  been  extremely  happy 
in  both  marriages,  and  declares  that  she  receives  frequent  visits  from 
her  first.  Oberlin,  the  good  pastor  of  Ban  de  la  Roche,  asserted  the 
same  thing  of  himself.  His  wife  came  to  him  frciquenlly  after  her 
death ;  was  seen  by  the  rest  of  his  household,  as  well  as  himself;  and 
warned  him  beforehand  of  many  events  that  occurred. 

Professor  IJarthe,  who  visited  Oberlin  in  1824,  says,  that  while  he 
spoke  of  his  intercourse  with  the  spiritual  world  as  familiarly  as  of  the 
daily  visits  of  his  parishioners,  he  was,  at  the  same  time,  perfectly  free 
from  fanaticism,  and  eagerly  alive  to  all  the  concerns  of  this  earthly 
existence. 

Never  was  there  a  purer  spirit,  nor  a  more  beloved  human  being, 
than  Oberlin.  When  first  he  was  appointed  to  the  cure  of  Ban  de  la 
Roche,  and  found  his  people  talking  so  familiarly  of  the  rciippearanco 
of  the  dead,  he  reproved  them,  and  preached  against  the  superstition ; 
nor  was  he  convinced  till  after  the  death  of  his  wife.  8he  had,  how- 
ever, previously  received  a  visit  from  her  deceased  sister,  the  wjtof 
Professor  Oberlin,  of  Strasburg,  who  had  warned  her  of  her  approach- 
ing death,  for  whicli  she  inmiediately  set  about  preparing,  making  extra 
clothuig  for  her  children,  and  even  laying  in  provision  for  the  funeral 
feast.  She  then  took  leave  of  her  husband  and  iamily,  and  went  quiet- 
ly to  bed.  On  the  following  morning  she  died;  and  Oberlin  never 
heard  of  the  warning  she  had  received  till  she  disclosed  it  to  him  in 
her  spectral  visitations. 

MANIFESTATIONS   IN   NEW    YORK,    1789. 

Some  friend  has  furnished  us  with  a  copy  of  the  New  York  Packet, 
a  paper,  formerly  published  at  No.  T)  Water  street,  N.  Y.,  by  Samuel 
and  John  Loudon.     The  copy  dates  March  10th  1789,  and  contains  a 


44 


I' 


letter  froai  iv  gentleman  at  Fishkill,  dated  March  8d  (samo  year),  fVom 
which  we  make  the  following  extract. 

«*  Sill  —  Were  I  to  relate  the  many  extraordinary,  though  not  less 
true,  accounts  I  have  heard  concerning  that  unfortunate  girl  at  New 
llackensack,  your  belief  might,  perhajjs,  bo  staggered,  and  patience 
tried.  I  shall,  therefore,  only  inform  you  of  what  I  have  been  eye- 
witness to.  Last  Sunday  afternoon  my  wife  and  myself  went  to  Dr. 
Thorn's,  and,  after  sitting  for  some  time,  we  heard  a  knocking  under 
the  feet  of  a  young  woman  that  lives  in  the  family,  I  asked  the  doctor 
what  occafiioned  the  noise;  he  could  not  tell,  but  replied,  that  he, 
together  with  several  others,  had  examined  the  house,  but  wore  unable 
to  discover  the  cause.  I  then  took  a  candle  and  went  with  the  girl 
into  the  cellar — there  the  knocking  also  continued;  but,  as  we  were 
ascending  the  stairs  to  return,  I  heard  a  prodigious  rapping  on  each 
side,  which  alarmed  me  very  much.  I  stood  still  some  time,  looking 
around  with  amazement,  when  I  beheld  some  lumber  which  lay  at  the 
head  of  the  stairs  shake  considerably.  About  eight  or  ten  days  after 
we  visited  the  girl  again ;  the  knocking  still  continued,  but  was  much 
louder.  Our  cariosity  induced  us  to  pay  the  third  visit,  when  the 
phenomena  were  still  more  alarming.  I  then  saw  the  chairs  move ;  a 
large  dining-table  was  thrown  against  me,  and  a  small  stand,  on  which 
stood  a  candle,  was  tossed  up  aad  thrown  in  my  wife's  lap ;  after  which 
we  left  the  house,  much  surprised  at  what  we  had  seen." 

The  case  of  the  ''Cock-knc  ghost"  is  easily  explained 
on  the  spiritual  theory,  though  the  circumstances  are  gen- 
erally considered  as  exploding  it.  The  girl-medium  was 
taken  from  her  friends  by  some  females,  and  put  to  bed 
by  thcni.  Disturbed,  mentally,  by  the  change,  the  raps 
did  not  take  place  ;  one  of  the  conditions  of  spiritual,  as 
"well  as  of  mesmeric  manifestation,  being  calmness.  On 
the  next  night,  she  was  threatened  with  corporal  punish- 
ment in  case  the  raps  did  not  come.  This  made  the 
matter  worse.  She,  to  escape  this,  endeavored  to  pro- 
duce them  artificially,  by  taking  a  board  to  bed  with  her  ; 
nothing  more  natural  than  for  a  child  to  act  so,  supposing 
the  manifestations  to  have  been  real. 


45 


Emanuel  Swcdenborg  cKiiincd  to  be  in  constant  inter- 
course with  spirits  for  the  last  forty  years  of  his  life. 
He  was  a  man  of  vast  intellect  and  erudition,  well  skilled 
in  the  natural  sciences,  and  the  very  opposite  of  an 
enthusiast  or  a  madman.  There  is  only  room  here  for 
one  proof  of  his  spirit  intercourse,  selected  from  Stilling's 
Pneuniatology. 

The  Queen  of  Sweden  tested  luiia,  by  commissioning  hlni  to  toll  her 
what  she  had  spoken,  on  a  certain  remarkable  occasion,  with  her 
deceased  brother,  the  Prince  of  Prussia.  After  some  time  Swedenborg 
announced  himself,  and  stated  to  her  what  had  passed.  This  fact  has 
been  controverted  in  the  public  papers;  but  a  Swedish  nobleman,  who 
was,  in  other  respects,  no  admirer  of  Swedenborg,  assured  me  that  the 
matter  was  unquestionably  true.  —  StiUiny^s  Pneunalolo(jy,  p.  55. 
(See  "  Documents  concerning  Swedenborg,"  edited  by  George  Uush, 
"  Biographies,"  by  Hobart,  Wilkinson,  and  others.) 

In  Abyssinia  spirit  possession  is  of  common  occurrence. 

A  Russian  paper,  the  Abeille,  says  that  table-moving  has  been 
long  known  and  practised  among  the  priests  of  Euddha.  ^Ylien  a 
priest  is  applied  to  by  an  individual  who  has  lost  something  of  value, 
and  is  desirous  of  knowing  where  to  look  for  it,  he  sits  down  before  a 
small  table,  and,  placing  his  hands  upon  it,  commences  repeating  a 
passage  from  some  religious  book.  Soon  he  rises,  and,  moving  back- 
ward and  forward,  closely  followed  or  preceded  by  the  table,  which 
seems  to  be  suspended  in  the  air.  After  a  certain  time  the  table  gives 
a  whirl  and  falls  to  the  ground,  and  the  seeker  is  directed  to  look  for 
the  object  of  his  search  in  that  direction.  On  one  occasion  the  table 
was  known  to  move  eighty  feet  through  the  air  before  falling.  On  the 
same  day  a  Russian  peasant  living  near  by  committed  suicide.  The 
act  created  suspicion,  and  upon  search  the  stolen  property  was  found 
in  his  domicil. 


SIGNS   OF   CONVERSION. 


We  cut  the  following  from  the  Journal  of  Commerce,  wherein  it  seems 
to  have  been  fully  accredited.  Had  the  story  originally  appeared  in 
the  Telegraph,  it  would  scarcely  have  found  a  place  in  the  Journal, 


Ft    y 


w 


hS 


t 


II 


.    .,    ,„,awrektca  of  somospiril-mcamm  rather 

B„.o„  llccorfcv,  n,  ;;f  ;;t;  ;1;K -laL  tU«  1-ono.in.  n«vcllous 
rjtot  no,n:::i-  ^r  H  .-*^-;:;„„  „„  s„e-,oiy,«s  rctum. 
i„„  ;„  „ls  c,u,bc  to  V.  1--  »  «,^,:„tkuo,Xt  a  -ccct  fre^ethad 
eavrle,!  a.ay  all  the  ,,  ank  from  *o  ^^  ^^_^^^_,,^  ,^  » 

bri.Vc  there,  an,l  reached  homo  »      >  ,  Imforihle ,'  «>k1  they, 

„al'he  came.     'The  «™»V'"f  ■,  le"    lie  per»i*J.  ■"«>  """''  "™' 
th  re  are  no  pla.fc  oo  the  ^^  "  ;  J^M^  „Uh  him  next  morrr- 

:!  :2;   rX  cod  of  «>»  brago  a„  » uo^-;^;  „„ 

I„  l  «lJ,-»ni'y  and  v™«-'y  «;°  ,,^4  „a„i„ed  the  correspond- 
:„sidcaoverthcu,stinetof  the  h    -.    ^^^^  ^,.^,,  ^,„^  ^.^    ,  „„d 

once  of  tho«  wheels  tv.th  """■"/,„.    Was  that  power  fate  or 

eth  not.  neither  i^-^'J  .„  aemanded,  reference  ma,  he  had  to  the 

..  It  authority  lor  the  alJO%e  »  o  ,.    ,  ^f  Bcavcrmyele,  H.  J-. 

f  J  ,  particularly  to  Jte.  ^  -»»  ^"^^c  „^,^h  she  received  the 
!"  !  reiat^.e  of  Judge  Boudmot  R  m  »ho      ^^^  ^^,^_^^  j,  ^  ^.^, 

--■    Tf  :;::-ti:tt::y  :f  her  own  famHy,  mustrat-n. 
her  account  ol  a  passao'- 

our  pol..t."  contended  that  the 

B.MU,KS.-Our  religious  "=»*!_';;„„;„„„  left  without  any 

a,,  fo,:  „,eh  wonders  was  over,  »*  '    \*;,,^„  eonse,uences  of  therr 

L^  .llvl.-  0'  ^P-''--'  rr:  :     n  :«1  or  physical  laws     Bu 
o\,n  action.,  as  determraed  »•?  F™5    «  Bcmder  and  the  W«  ^o'* 
Tare  happy  to  find  that  *» ^        J      ;,,„„,  views  and  a  mor 
J„„at  0/  C«»"--«^rirr .;"  Ihat  ••  I  creator  of  the  ends  of 


living  i'l 


,7ii,.„„cnc  are  inclining  .0  ;;;«  X'-;^,^,  „f  Ure  ends  of 
■ir.    Atlenglhtheyconelmlcthat 


47 


tho  earth  faiiitotli  not,  neither  is  weary  "  of  working  his  wontlorh 
among  men.  IJuiuIinot's  friends  thought  tho  good  num  cither  lied  or 
was  iivuiic,  until  thoy  took  tho  trouble  to  track  hhn  ;  and  .^o  the 
Eccordc?  iind  the  Journal  think  of  tho:sc  who  are  now,  every  day,  sub- 
ject to  exp(!rieuees  ei(ually  extraordinary,  whieh,  we  doubt  not,  tho 
editor.-;  of  the  next  generation  will  quote  as  gospel.  Our  cotempo- 
rarics,  however,  dift'er  from  those  of  Judge  Boudlnnt  in  questioning 
the  sanity  and  veracity  of  tho  present  media  without  being  willing  to 
so  much  as  ho/i-  at  their  tracks.  Ye  who  insist  that  tho  age  of  mira- 
cles, so-ealled,  is  ended,  answer  this  question:  Was  it  not  aliotit  as 
difficult  for  Boudinot's  beast  to  walk  that  sleeper,  and  keep  tiie  carriage 
wheels  on  two  other  sleepers,  as  it  was  for  Balaam's  beast  to  eonvcn^c 
in  intelligi')lo  Hebrew  ?  —  Spiritual  Telegraph. 


A  remarkable  spirit-manifestation  took  ])laco  in  Odessa, 
in  1842.  A  young  girl,  the  protege  of  a  blind  beggar, 
was  imprisoned  on  a  false  charge  of  theft.  The  same 
night  her  protector  was  murdered.  His  mysterious  dis- 
appearance caused  him  to  be  also  suspected.  She  was 
interrogated  as  to  his  probable  place  of  concealment.  She 
stated  that  she  had  seen  him  murdered,  though  she  was 
closely  confined  in  the  prison.  She  also  said  that,  subse- 
quently, he  had  appeared  to  her  and  stated  further  par- 
ticulars. The  information  so  received  being  acted  on,  the 
body  was  discovered  in  the  place  mentioned,  and  all  the 
minutest  particulars  found  to  be  exactly  Jis  she  had  stated. 
The  next  night,  "  without  allowing  her  to  suspect  their 
intention,  they  watched  her ;  she  never  lay  down,  but 
sat  upon  the  bed,  in  a  lethargic  slumber,  ller  body  was 
quite  motionless,  except  at  intervals,  when  this  repose 
was  interrupted  by  violent  nervous  shocks,  which  seemed 
to  pervade  the  whole  frame."  The  next  day  she  told 
the  name  of  the  assassin,  and  mentioned  circumstances 
which  led  to  her  (the  assassin)  confessing,  not  only  the 
murder,  but  that  her  paramour,  at  her  instigation,  had. 


4'     V 


48 


eightoou  years  before,  put  out  his  eyes  ;  this  hist  fact 
was  also  stated  hy  the  girl ;  and  the  whole  details  of 
both  transactions,  circumstantially  detailed  by  the  girl, 
through  communications  received  from  the  spirit  of  the 
blind  man.  —  Night-side  of  Nature. 


CHAPTER  V. 


I  >'' 


li 


^^1 


We  arc  now  arrived  at  the  era  of  the  modern  spirit 
manifestations  in  our  midst.  For  the  first  time,  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  spirit  intercourse  has  become  a  sci- 
ence, and  is  followed  systematically  and  fearlessly. 

In  March,  1848,  rappings,  unaccountable  by  human 
agency,  were  heard  among  the  Fox  family.  It  was  found 
that  questions  could  be  asked  and  answered  by  an  invis- 
ible intelligence  through  knocks  which  were  of  a  peculiar 
sound,  imitable  only,  if  at  all,  by  complicated  machinery. 
Nothing  of  the  kind  could  be  detected  after  the  most 
rigid  examinations  by  persons  accustomed  to  sifting  and 
testing  in  every  possible  way.  Some  Buffalo  doctors, 
however,  pretended  to  discover  that  they  were  produced 
by  the  toe  and  knee  joints.  This  theory  was  considered 
untenable  by  other  members  of  the  profession,  and 
only  served  to  bring  its  authors  into  ridicule.  The  num- 
ber of  "  rapping  mediums  "  (as  those  persons  were  called 
whose  presence  was  necessary  to  the  phenomena)  in- 
creased. New  phases  of  the  manifestations  were  brought 
to  light,  the  animating  intelligence  in  all  cases  claiming 
to  bo  the  spirits  of  the  departed.     Tables,  etc. ,  were  tipped 


(      \  I 


49 


and  moved  ;  articles  of  fuvnituro  tlirown  about  by  what 
purported  to  be  dei)artcd  s})lrits  ;  but  this  natural  sup- 
position was  vehemently  attacked  by  hosts  of  savans  and 
theologians,  and  a  number  of  theories  devised  to  account 
for  them  on  physical  grounds,  and  successively  rejected 
as  new  phases  of  the  phenomena  occurred.  First  it  was 
trickery  and  too  joints  ;  but  tables  were  moved,  and  per- 
sons of  un([uestionable  integrity  and  capacity  were  medi- 
ums ;  involuntary  nmscular  pressure,  or  will  force,  were 
assumed  adecpiate  to  exert  a  pressure  on  a  table  e(|ual  to 
the  muscular  capacity  of  a  strong  man.  Electricity  and 
od  force  were  magically  endowed  with  superhuman  intel- 
ligence, in  order  to  explode  the  idea  that  those  we  loved 
when  they  were  on  earth  still  actively  and  perceptibly 
ministered  among  us.  Htill  the  manifestations  progressed 
so  rapidly  as  to  elude  all  attempts  to  explain  them  unlcs«? 
by  the  supposition  of  superhuman  agency.  Mediums' 
hands  were  moved  by  invisible  intelligences  to  write  arti- 
cles wherein  opinions  often  diireririg  from  those  held  by 
the  medium  were  expressed.  Others  found  their  organs 
of  speech  controlled  by  an  invisible  power  ;  and  "  they 
spake  as  they  were  moved."  Others  saw  spirits,  their 
internal  eyes  ])eing  opened ;  manifestations  of  a  more 
tangible  character  were  correspondingly  increased  in  vari- 
ety and  power.  Persons  unskilled  in  musical  instru- 
ments played  difficult  tunes  ;  a  post-horn  was  played  on 
without  a  visible  operator  ;  other  musical  instruments 
upheld  as  well  as  played  on  by  an  invisible  power  ;  full- 
grown  men  carried  sixty  feet  through  the  air  without 
touching  the  ground  ;  tables  suspended  three  feet  from 
the  floor  without  visible  hands  ;  or  in  like  manner  broken 
to  pieces.  Sick  persons  consiilered  incurable  restored  to 
health  by  passes  made  involuntarily  by  healing  mediums ; 


50 


I*  '1 


^    " 


pencils  wirtiout  hands  wrote  fac-similes  of  the  signatures 
of  departed  ones.  Writing  appeared  on  walls  made  by 
invisible  hands,  and  in  like  manner  erased. 

;So  varied  and  irregular  are  they  that  no  classification 
can  embrace  all  the  facts  ;  no  amount  of  experience  pred- 
icate success  or  failure  in  any  given  case.  Theory  after 
theory,  pretending  to  account  for  these  things  by  the 
laws  of  inanimate  matter  or  human  raentalit} ,  has  been 
proved  false  and  inadequate ;  denial  of  the  facts  is 
equally  unavailing.  Now,  as  in  the  time  of  Paul,  "  the 
oppositions  of  science  falsely  so  called  "are  brought  to 
mystify  and  confuse  the  earnest  truth-seeker.  Now,  as 
then,  deeds  of  love  and  wisdom  are  ascribed  to  dia- 
bolical agency  (see  Rogers'  Philosophy  Myst.  Agents, 
Beecher's  Spiritualism);  but,  spite  of  know-nothing  savans, 
raving  priests,  and  canting  Pharisees,  the  great  facts 
and  the  greater  philosophy  of  spirit  intercourse  are  rap- 
idly being  acknowledged  and  experienced  by  men  and 
women  second  to  none  in  the  community  for  integrity, 
culture  or  capacity.  Men,  whom  all  the  arguments,  spec- 
ulations and  threats  of  orthodox  religionists  have  failed 
to  convince  of  the  reality  of  a  future  life,  are  compelled, 
by  irresistible  evidence,  to  realize,  in  their  inmost  souls, 
that  there  is  no  death. 

CLASSIFICATION   OF  MEDIUMS. 

1.  Rapping  mediums.  If  conditions  are  favorable, 
raps  will  sometimes  be  heard  when  certain  persons  ap- 
proach tables,  etc.,  appearing  to  be  produced  by  some- 
thing invisible  striking  it. 

2.  Tipping  mediums.  In  similar  circumstances,  arti- 
cles of  furniture  are  tipped  or  carried,  raised  in  the  air. 


51 


V.1- 


etc,  sometimes  without  touching,  in  all  cases  without 
muscular  pressure. 

3.  Writing  mediums.  Their  hand?  are  controlled  by 
an  invisible  intelligence,  and  words  which  may  c"  may 
not  correspond  with  the  ideas  of  the  medium,  written  with- 
out his  volition,  frequently  in  different  handwriting,  some- 
times in  languages  he  does  not  know.  In  a  few  cases, 
they  were  unable  to  write  naturally.* 

4.  Speaking  mediums  have  their  vocal  organs  con- 
trolled by  spirits. 

5.  Another  class  can  be  operated  on  in  various  bodily 
organs.     Musical  mediums  belong  to  this  class. 

G.  Impressional  mediums.  Some  of  these  have  the 
ivords  as  well  as  the  ideas  presented  to  their  minds  by  spir- 
its—  others  only  the  ideas  —  in  the  latter  case,  the  mun- 
dane and  strictly  spiritual  phenomena  intermix. 

7.  Drawing  mediums  dilFer  from  writing  mediums  only 
in  the  purpose,  not  in  the  nature  of  the  operation, 

8.  Seeing  mediums.  These  have  "the  gift  of  dis- 
cerning spirits." 

9.  Mediums  for  spiritual  dreams,  visions,  etc.  Daniel, 
Ezekiel,  Jacob,  Paul,  Peter,  John,  and  several  others,  were 
of  this  class,  combining  with  it  more  or  less  of  classes  G,  5, 
4,  8.  It  is  well,  however,  not  to  confound  dreams  pro- 
duced by  disease  or  mundane  influences  with  dreams 
properly  spiritual.  A  life  strictly  in  harmony  with  natural 
laws  is  the  best  preparation  for  such  mediumship  —  a 
life  which  few  can  or  would  live. 


*  Mr.  Ramsilell,  of  the  Invalid's  Home,  Woburn,  is  in  this  way  coiiti-ollcd  to 
write  intelligible  sentences  (diagnoses  of  disease,  prescriptions,  &c.),  while  he  is 
looliing  another  waj ,  and  engaged  in  conversation. 


r** 


52 


f 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FACTS  PROVING   SUPERHUMAN  INTELLIGENCE. 

WONDERFUL   WRITING   MEDIUM. 

Mr.  N.  B.  Laird,  writing  from  Monroe  Centre,  Ashtabula  County, 
Ohio,  sajs : 

"  There  is  a  medium  in  Conneaut  township,  Crawford  County, 
Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  Mr.  Aaron  Brooks,  some  ten  years  of  age,  who, 
in  his  normal  state,  can  neither  write  nor  read  writing,  whom  I  have 
frequently  seen  write  the  ordinary  way,  and  frequently  in  the  inverted 
manner  when  some  one  was  sitting  opposite  to  him,  so  that  those  oppo- 
site to  him  might  read  the  communication  that  was  written." 

EXTRACT  FROM  THE  "  NEW  ERA." — MANIFESTATIONS  AT  J.  KOON'S 

SPIRIT   ROOMS,  ATHENS  CO.,  OHIO,  FEBRUARY,  1854.  f' 

On  the  following  evening,  they  beat  a  march  on  the  drum,  and  car- 
ried the  tambourine  all  around  over  our  heads,  playing  on  it  the  while. 
They  then  dropped  it  on  the  table,  took  the  triangle  from  the  wall,  and  car- 
ried it  all  around,  as  they  did  the  other  instruments,  for  some  time.  We 
could  only  hear  the  dull  sound  of  the  steel ;  then  would  peal  forth  the  full 
ring  of  the  instrument.  They  let  this  fall  on  the  table  also.  After  this, 
they  spoke  through  the  trumpet  to  all,  stating  that  they  were  glad  to 
see  them.  Then  they  went  to  a  gentleman  who  was  playing  on  the 
violin,  and  took  it  out  of  his  hand  up  into  the  air,  all  around,  thrum- 
ming the  strings,  and  playing  as  well  as  mortals  can  do,  sounding  very 
sweetly.  They  now  played  most  sweetly  on  the  trumpet ;  then  took 
the  harp,  and  played  on  both  instruments,  and,  at  the  same  time,  sung 
with  four  voices,  sounding  like  female  voices,  which  made  the  room 
swell  with  melody. 

After  this,  they  made  their  hands  visible  again,  took  paper,  brought 
it  out  on  the  other  table,  and  commenced  writing  slowly,  when  one  of 
the  visitors  asked  them  if  they  could  not  write  faster  ;  the  hand  then 
moved  so  fast  we  could  hardly  see  it  go,  but  all  could  h.  ur  the  pencil 
move  over  the  paper  for  some  five  minutes  or  so.  When  done,  the 
spirit  took  up  the  trumpet  and  spoke,  saying  the  communication  waa 
for  friend  Pierce  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  hand  came  up  to  him, 
and  gave  the  paper  into  his  hand.     Now  the  spirit  said,  if  friend 


53 


Pierce  would  put  his  hand  on  the  tabic,  they  would  shake  hands  with 
him  for  a  testimony  to  the  world,  as  he  could  do  much  good  with  such 
a  fact  while  on  his  spiritual  naission.  He  then  put  his  hand  on  the 
table  by  their  request ;  the  hand  came  up  to  him,  took  his  fingers,  and 
shook  them.  Then  it  went  away,  but  soon  came  back,  patted  his  hand 
some  miautes,  then  left  again.  Now  it  came  back  the  third  time,  and, 
takini  his  whole  hand  for  some  five  minutes,  he  examinad  it  all  over, 
and  found  it  as  natural  as  a  human  hand,  even  to  the  nails  on  the  fin- 
gers. He  traced  the  hand  up  as  far  as  the  wrist,  and  found  nothing 
any  further  than  that  point. 

D.  Hasteller,  Pittsburg.        Lewis  Dugdale,  Farmer,  Ohio. 

A.  P.  Pierce,  Philadelphia.     Ciias.  C.  Stillman,  Marion,  Ohio. 

H.  F.  Partridge,  Wheeling,  Va. 


.JPT' 


)rcuglit 
one  of 
ad  then 
e  pencil 
one,  the 
lion  was 
to  him, 
f  friend 


UNRULY   ELECTRICITY. 

Wc  have  just  been  authentically  informed  of  a  certain  clergyman, 
residing  not  a  thousand  miles  from  Brooklyn,  who  one  evening  got  to 
amusing  himself  with  the  singular  powers  of  "  electricity,"  as  exhibited 
in  the  movement  of  various  articles  of  furniture,  as  it  flowed  through  a 
young  lady,  who  placed  her  fingers  lightly  on  the  tops  of  them.  After 
witnessing  for  some  time  the  astonishing  phenomena  of  chairs,  tables, 
piano, etc., following  the  ladyaround  the  room,  whithersoever  she  <hose 
to  lead  them  by  the  magic  attraction  of  her  fingers,  the  clergyman, 
placing  his  feet  upon  the  round  of  his  chair,  said,  "  Now,  p-^"  if  you  can 
move  me."  The  lady,  accordingly,  placed  her  fingers  I'^i'tly  in  con- 
tact with  the  chair,  and  drew  him  back  and  forth  several  tuiies,  when 
the  "  electricity  "  becoming  restive  and  ungovernable,  suddenly  l-ij 
sized  the  chair,  and  sent  its  occupant  sprawling  on  all-fours,  with  his 
proboscis  in  rather  uncomfortable  proximity  with  the  floor.  Danger- 
ous agent  that.  We  presume  that  parson  knmos  (nose)  more  about  that 
kind  of  "  electricity  "  than  before  he  made  his  experiments. 

THE  SPIRITS  wr57«   ELECTRICITY. 

A  correspondent  assures  us,  says  the  Cambridge  Chronicle,  of  a  case 
which  is  curious  enough  in  its  way,  and  worthy  to  he  told.  A  '*  me- 
dium "  who  could  write  with  one  hand,  while  he  held  a  book  in  the 
other  from  which  ho  read  at  the  same  time,  attributed  the  phenom- 
ena to  electricity.  There  was  always  nfac  simile  of  that  of  the  per- 
son from  whom  the  communication  purported  to  come.  On  one  occa- 
sion, as  he  appr'^'xched  the  table,  it  started  off  from  him  a  foot  or 


r 


t 


54 


more.     Again  attempting  to  reach  it,  it  started  to  the  other  side  of 
the  room,  and  there  remained  in  an  inverted  position. 

At  the  same  time  a  communication  was  received  at  Waltham,  by 
an  acquaintance  and  medium,  which  stated  that  "  Lewis,"  the  name  of 
the  individual  above  referred  to,  "  is  making  sport  of  us  at  Water- 
town,  and  we  will  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  him."  This  declara- 
tion, made  at  a  distance  from  the  place  where  the  individual  it  con- 
cerned was  at  the  time,  was  singularly  enough  confirmed  by  the  fact 
that,  from  that  time,  he  has  not  been  able  to  act  either  as  a  writing  or 
tipping  medium.  If  the  hypothesis  of  the  individual  was  correct,  that 
the  phenomena  of  the  table  was  caused  by  electricity,  it  is  certain  that 
the  electrical  fluid  possessed  a  very  remarkable  degree  of  intelligence ! 


SPIRITS  versus  holy  water. 

The  Boston  Pilot  said  a  priest  and  holy  water  would 
exorcise  the  spirits,  if  spirits  they  were.  The  experi- 
ment was  tried  at  St.  Louis,  in  a  case  of  disorderly  spirit 
manifestation,  but  failed ;  they  went  on  more  violent 
than  before  ;  the  priest  was  compelled  to  run.  Some 
hours  after,  the  possessed  persons  were  relieved  by  some 
spirit  medium  of  a  higher  grade.     Mark  16  :  17. 

PERSONS   INVOLUNTARILY   MOVED   BY  SPIRITS. 

Mr.  Henry  Gordon,  the  well-known  spirit-medium,  now  residing  in 
Philadelphia,  was  recently  entranced,  at  his  residence,  and  slid  up 
stairs  upon  the  banister  of  the  stairway,  and  then  turned  and  slid 
down  head  foremost,  in  the  same  manner,  all  by  an  invisible  power. 
This  occurred  in  the  presence  of  several  credible  witnesses.  It  will  be 
recollected  that  Mr.  Gordon  was  in  the  same  manii  r  raised  from  the 
floor  and  carried  back  and  forth  through  the  air  several  times,  in  this 
city,  likewise  in  the  presence  of  witnesses  whose  word  may  be  implicitly 
relied  upon,  and  who  positively  testify  that  no  visible  agent  of  the 
movement  was  in  contuv^c  with,  or  even  near  him.  —  Spiritual 
Telegraph. 

Mrs.  Mary  Ide,  of  East  Boston,  was  similarly  lifted  from 
the  floor,  and  placed  on  a  table  in  the  office  of  Mr.  Cum- 


/ 


55 


mings,  State-street,  Boston ;  also  at  the  residence  of 
Andrew  T.  Page,  Dan  vers,  Mass. 

At  the  residence  of  Ward  Cheney,  Manchester,  Conn., 
D.  D.  Hume  was  thus  lifted  from  the  floor  several  times. 
Once  his  head  touched  the  ceiling.  One  of  the  editors 
of  the  Hartford  Times  and  several  other  gentlemen  were 
present. 

See  Richmond  and  Brittan's  Discussion,  248.  New 
Testament  and  Modern  Miracles  Compared,  p.  69.  Acts 
8 :  39.  1  Kings  17  :  12.  2  Kings  2  :  16.  Ezek.  2  : 
2  ;  3  :  12,  14  ;  8  :  1—3. 

THE  MIMIC  TURNED  TO  THE  REAL. 

li..  A  young  lady  at  Lake  Mills,  Wis.,  frequently  indulged  in  the  habit 

"«  of  mimicking  the  actions  of  spirit-mediums,  saying  that  their  spiritual 
pretensions  were  all  hypocritical,  and  that  she  did  not  believe  a  word 
of  them.  After  continuing  this  practice  for  several  weeks,  an  irresisti- 
ble influence  suddenly  came  upon  her  one  day,  and  threw  her  into  a 
trance,  and  for  four  or  five  days  she  was  compelled  to  do  the  bidding 
of  what  purported  to  be  spirits.  She  was  then  released  from  the 
influence  for  a  day  or  two,  when,  on  remarking  that  she  did  not  believe 
that  it  proceeded  from  spirits,  the  same  power  again  suddenly  seized 
her,  and  defied  every  effort  at  resistance  on  her  part.  After  subject- 
ing her  to  a  variety  of  additional  exercises,  she  "  gave  in,"  and  is  now 
a  firm  believer  in  spiritual  manifestations.  These  occurrences  are 
stated  by  A.  V.  Valentine,  writing  to  the  ISeio  Era.  —  Telegraph 
Papers,  vol.  3,  p.  501. 

"WRESTLING  WITH   A   SPIRIT. 

Several  friends  had  come  together  to  witness  the  strange  power  that 
seemed  to  be  at  work  at  the  house  of  Brother  J.  A.  While  the  rap- 
ping was  going  on,  one  of  the  company  denounced  the  whole  thing, 
said  he  did  not  believe  it  was  spirits,  or  if  it  was,  they  could  not  rap 
and  ■novo  tables,  etc.  And  he  defied  and  dared  the  spirits,  saying  ho 
could  throw  down  or  whip  any  spirit.  The  doctor  then  inquired  of  the 
spirit  that  was  rapping  at  the  time  if  he  could  wrestle ;  he  said  he 
could.  The  spirit  was  then  asked  if  he  was  willing  to  wrestle  and 
show  fight  with  that  gentleman ;  he  said  he  was.  The  brave  man  then 
told  the  spirit  to  follow  him  out  into  the  yard,  and  started,  all  the 


M 


% 


»  *   1* 

I 

It      I 


1:1. 


M 


I 


I 


i 


56 


circle  rising  from  the  table,  when  it  commenced  moving  toward  the 
man,  rose  from  the  floor  and  bit  him  several  hard  blows  before  he 
reached  the  door,  which  hastened  his  steps ;  and,  as  he  passed  out,  the 
table,  or  rather  stand,  was  thrown  at  him,  only  missing  him  a  little, 
striking  the  door-facing  about  midway,  denting  and  scarring  the  facing, 
bursting  off  the  top  of  the  stand,  breaking  the  legs,  splitting  the  upright 
post,  leaving  indentations  as  though  bullets  and  shot  had  been  fired 
into  it,  the  medium  not  touching  it,  only  following  close  after,  and  out 
into  the  yard,  where  the  spiritrfighter  had  arrived  unhurt. 

But  now  commenced  a  new  struggle :  he  began  striking,  jumping  as 
though  he  was  contending  with  flesh  and  blood,  manifesting  all  the 
signs  of  determined  bravery,  and  to  fight  it  out  to  the  last.  He  was 
several  times  thrown  hard  on  the  ground,  then  struggled  and  regained 
his  feet,  and  down  he  would  come  again.  This  mode  of  testing  the 
invisibles  continued  until  the  spirit's  adversary  was  sorely  wounded, 
and  worried  out  of  breath  and  physical  strength.  He  finally  regained 
his  foothold,  and  made  a  hasty  retreat  into  the  house  up  a  flight  of 
stairs,  taking  to  himself  a  private  room,  closing  the  door  after  him, 
"  declaring  that  he  never  wanted  to  fight  spirits  any  more,  and  that  if 
they  would  let  him  alone  he  would  let  them  alone." 

Purdy  (Ohio),  June  Idtk,  1853.  S.  D.  Pace. 

—  Telegraph  Papers,  vol.  2,  p.  72.     (See  Gen.  32 :  24.)  ««' 

-  -'  -  f'' 


THINGS   IIOVED    BY   SPIRIT   AGENCY. 


SPIRIT  TELEGRAPHING. 


AsTOuxDiNo  Fact. — The  following  is  communicated  by  one  of  our 
old  subscribers : 

'■•  I  send  you  the  following  as  characteristic  of  the  '  Physical  Facts,' 
which  I  intend  sending  for  my  first  communication  : 

"  After  several  similar  demonstrations,  one  evening  in  the  shop  of 
our  worthy  barber,  Mr.  E.  Pike  said,  '  Mr.  Sperry,  I  left  my  pocket- 
book  and  money-purse  locked  up  in  my  trunk  at  home, —  can  the  spir- 
its bring  them  in  ? '  *  Yes,'  I  answered.  In  a  twinkling,  almost,  they 
dropped  into  my  lap.  In  this  case,  no  one  left  the  room,  or  came  in  ; 
and  no  door  or  window  was  seen  to  open  or  shut,  as  all  remained 
closed.  And  I  think  it  was  physically  impossible  for  any  one  in  the 
room  to  do  it.  The  distance  was  about  half  a  mile.  I  have  a  host  of 
other  cases,  and  some  '  astounding '  ones. 

"  Yours,  in  kindness,  B.  J.  Sperry." 

—  New  Era,  No.  73. 


/^ 


57 


^ 


Things  transported  through  the  Air.  —  In  a  private  note,  lately, 
Dr.  Gridley  communicates  the  followingyacf  .- 

"  Last  November  I  lost  a  pair  of  gloves  in  Easthampton.  I  found 
them  some  three  hours  after  in  a  field  in  Northampton,  six  miles  from 
where  I  lost  them.  They  were  lying  half  a  rod  before  me,  open  and 
Bmoothed  out,  as  though  a  woman  had  just  ironed  them.  I  know  they 
were  carried  there  without  the  aid  of  human  hands,  as  well  as  I  know 
I  am  a  living  man." — New  Era,  No.  78. 

i  ■ 
In  Pittsburgh,  at  a  circle  held  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Courtnej'',  a  case-knife  was  thrown,  by  invisible  agency, 
from  the  mantel  into  the  middle  of  the  floor,  a  distance 
of  several  yards.  "A  book  was  thrown  from  the  stand 
against  the  opposite  wall,  and  various  other  articles  were 
tossed  about  in  a  strange  manner."  Nine  persons  were 
present  whose  names  are  given. 

At  a  circle  of  nine,  held  at  Kufus  Elmer's,  Springfield, 
Mass.,  a  table  was  raised,  by  invisible  agency,  two  feet 
from  the  floor ;  a  bell  weighing  seventeen  ounces  taken 
from  the  floor  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  each  individual 
separately ;  two  handkerchiefs  knotted  together  while 
lying  in  the  laps  of  their  owners,  and  the  persons  of  those 
present  touched  more  or  less  forcibly  by  what  appeared 
to  be  a  spirit  hand.  All  this  time  the  hands  of  the  per- 
sons present  were  on  the  table. 

At  Halifax,  in  January,  1854,  a  table  was  rocked  so 
violently  by  invisible  agency,  that  the  combined  efforts 
of  the  writer  and  another  gentleman  could  not  stop  it. 
The  medium  was  a  well-known  merchant  of  that  city  ; 
his  hands  were  resting  slightly  on  the  table. 


-fi 


H 


XF.W  rilASE  OF  THE  MANIFESTATIONS.  FROM  THE  SPIRITUAL 
TELEGRAPH,  JULY  15,  1854.  COMMUNICATED  BY  D.  CORY, 
"WAUKEGAN,    JUNE  7,  1854. 

A  lady  medium  in  this  vicinity,  —  Mrs.  Seymour,— 


" 


1  f 


I 


I 


58 


when  entranced,  is  in  the  habit  of  writing  communica- 
tions on  her  arms  with  the  point  of  her  finger.  The 
writing  is  for  some  minutes  illegible,  but  soon  begins  to 
appear  in  raised  letters  that  can  be  both  seen  and  felt 
distinctly.  They  remain  thus  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes, 
causing  no  pain  or  even  unpleasant  feeling,  and  then 
gradually  fade  away  as  they  came,  leaving  the  skin 
smooth,  natural  and  uncolored. 

Sec  Cahagnet's  Celestial  Telegraph ;  Richmond  and 
Brittan's  Discussion,  pp.  262—272 ;  Matt.  1 :  17,  &c. 

A   BIOLOaiST  DEPRIVED    OP  HIS   TOWER. 

MoRETowN,  Vt.,  Jan.  20,  1854. 

Dear  Frietids :  —  There  was  a  case  of  spirit  prediction  at  Montpelier, 
last  fall,  in  which  a  biologist,  named  Stone,  was  told  his  power  was  all 
given  him  to  help  prepare  the  way  for  spirit  manifestations,  and  that  it 
would  soon  be  taken  away.  He  was  lecturing  at  that  place,  and  hearing 
of  a  family  in  which  are  two  mediums,  he  said  it  could  all  be  explained 
on  the  principles  of  magnetism.  He  called  for  the  purpose  of  "  show- 
ing them  up,"  and  requested  the  privilege  of  magnetizing  one  of  them. 
He  was  told  that  he  could  not  do  it  —  he  might  have  as  long  a  time  as 
he  pleased  to  try  the  experiment.  It  is  unnecessary  to  say  bis  power 
was  inferior  to  that  of  the  spirits,  and  he  was  quite  unsuccessful.  At 
this  interview  he  was  told  that  his  power  was  to  leave  him,  and  he  was 
invited  to  help  spread  spirit  manifestations.  Not  believing  the  pre- 
diction, he  chose  to  follow  his  old  profession. 

At  his  next  lecture  in  that  village,  ho  failed  to  illustrate  his  doc- 
trine by  his  usual  experiments,  not  having  power  over  his  own  subjects, 
who  were  two  girls,  or  young  women,  that  he  called  his  mediums.  He 
was  equally  unsuccessful  at  Northfield,  his  next  place. 

Here  is  an  important  fact  illustrated,  namely,  that  the  power  which 
controls  the  medium  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  biologist,  with  this  dif- 
ference, that  one  comes  from  spirits  in  the  flesh,  and  the  other  comes 
from  spirits  divested  of  the  incumbrances  of  mortality,  and  conse- 
quently must  be  so  much  higher  and  stronger,  as  the  differences  in  the 
two  states  can  render  it.  Roswell  Guild. 

—  Spiritual  Tcleyraph. 


/ 


59 


FIRE   NEUTRALIZED   BY  SPIRIT. 

At  tho  conference  at  this  office  on  Thursday  evening,  February  16th, 
Mr.  D.  G.  Taylor  stated  that  recently,  one  evening,  his  son  was  deeply 
entranced  by  spiritual  influence ;  when  under  the  action  of  the  povt'er 
which  controlled  hira  he  held  his  finger  apparently  for  about  thirty 
seconds  in  the  flame  of  a  phosgene  lamp  that  was  burning  before  him 
upon  the  tabic.  The  finger  was  afterward  examined,  and  found  to  be 
completely  blackened  by  tho  smoke  of  the  lamp,  but  entirely  uninjured, 
even  as  to  tho  most  delicate  tissues  of  the  skin !  At  another  time, 
during  the  last  week,  small  articles  were  thrown  about  the  room  by 
invisible  hands,  during  which  time  the  narrator,  casually  turning  his 
eyes  toward  the  fire,  saw  a  towel  lying  upon  the  top  of  a  grate  of 
glowing  coals,  sufficiently  hot  to  have  set  it  in  a  blaze  in  an  instant 
under  ordinary  circumstances.  Mr.  T.  thought  that  the  towel  could 
not  have  laid  there  loss  than  from  tea  to  fifteen  seconds ;  but  when  he 
took  it  off",  not  the  slightest  mark  of  fire  was  found  upon  it.  The 
towel,  which  was  apparently  unscorched,  was  exhibited  to  the  audience. 
Here,  certainly,  are  two  cases  of  no  ordinary  interest  as  reflecting 
light  upon  the  ordeal  of  the  "  burning  fiery  furnace,"  through  which 
Shadrach,  Meshach  and  Abednego  were  caused  to  pass  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, as  well  as  upon  the  ordeals  by  fire  to  which  spiritual  people  are 
said  to  have  been  often  subjected,  with  immunity  from  injury  and  suf- 
fering, during  the  middle  ages.  —  Spiritual  Telecjrajyh. 


WRITING   ON  THE  WALL. 

At  a  recent  Thursday-evening  conference,  Mr.  Lyon,  of  Fall  River, 
stated  that  at  a  late  spiritual  circle  at  which  he  was  present,  the  name 
of  a  person  in  the  spirit  world  was  observed  Lo  be  written  with  chalk 
on  the  wall  of  the  apartment.  No  one  could  tell  how  tho  writing 
came  there,  as  it  had  not  been  there  before  tho  meeting  of  the  circle, 
and  certainly  had  not  been  written  by  the  hand  of  any  one  present  in 
the  body.  The  minds  of  the  persons  present  were  diverted  from  it  for 
a  time,  and  when  they  looked  for  it  again  it  was  not  to  be  seen.  The 
cause  of  its  obliteration  was  as  mysterious  as  that  which  had  originally 
produced  it.  —  Sjriritual  Teleyraph. 


i 


SPIRITUAL   PROTECTION   AGAINST 


POISONS,    FIRE,    ETC. 


At  the  spiritual  conference  at  Dodworth's  Hall,  on  Tuesday  evening, 
the  29th  ult.,  it  was  stated  by  a  Mr.  Whittaker,  of  Troy,  who  is  know- 


M 


t    i 


ing  to  the  fact,  that  a  medium  residing  in  that  city,  being  at  one  time 
indisposed,  was  ordered  by  the  spirits  to  take  at  a  single  dose  07ic  hun- 
dred (jrains  of  arseyiic  in  a  menstruum  of  lemon  juice  and  spirits  of 
iiitrc ;  and  that  he  took  the  prescription  according  to  dire(?tion,  and,  so 
far  from  experiencing  any  inconvenience,  was  greatly  benefited  by  it. 
A  skeptical  gentleman  afterward  arose  and  argued  that  it  was  impossible 
for  that  story  to  be  true,  as  the  supposition  that  a  person  could  take 
that  quantity  of  poison  into  his  stomach  and  not  be  injured,  was 
"directly  contrary  to  the  laws  of  nature."  It  would  be  well  for  those 
who  judge  of  nature's  laws  by  superficial  views  of  her  ordinary  phe- 
nomena, to  know  that,  under  the  professed  influence  of  spiritual  powers, 
many  instances  of  safety  under  exposures  to  deleterious  substances,  such 
as  would  be  commonly  fatal,  have  occurred  both  in  past  and  present 
times.  The  action  of  fire  was  completely  neutralized  by  spiritual 
power  in  the  case  of  t!i;oo  Hebrews,  whom  Nebuchadnezzar  caused  to 
be  cast  into  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  It  was  a  privilege  of  the  (spir- 
itually influenced  disciples  of  Jesus,  to  "  take  up  serpents  and  drink 
any  deadly  thing  "  without  harm  ;  aud  St.  Paul  exhibited  a  practical 
test  of  the  efficacy  of  this  spiritual  endowment,  when  a  viper  fastened 
upon  his  hand  at  the  Island  of  Malta.  In  the  fourth  century,  St.  Mar- 
tin, bishop  of  Tours  (who  was  a  spiritual  medium),  accidentally  ate  a 
large  quantity  of  hellebore,  but  by  prayer  and  spiritual  exercises  was 
preserved  from  all  bad  effects.  In  the  eleventh  century,  the  mother 
of  King  Edward  the  Confessor,  on  being  accused  of  a  certain  crime, 
was  sLilijccted  to  the  ordeal  of  walking  barefooted  over  nine  red-hot 
plowshares,  which  (being  under  the  influence  of  previous  devout  exer- 
cises) she  not  only  did  without  injury,  but  without  feeling  any  sensa- 
tions from  the  heat.  Some  weeks  ago  we  published  an  account  of  a 
medium  in  this  city  who  thrust  his  hand  into  a  burning  stove,  and  held 
his  finger  for  several  seconds  in  the  fiame  of  a  lamp,  without,  in  either 
case,  the  slightest  disorganization  of  the  skin.  A  correspondent,  whose 
letter  is  given  in  another  column,  furnishes  an  account  of  a  skeptical 
physician  recently  administering  to  a  young  girl,  who  is  a  medium,  as 
much  chloroform  as  would  be  sufficient  for  four  men,  but  without  pro- 
ducing the  slightest  efi"ect.  The  fact  is,  that  the  powers  of  the  spiritual 
world  arc  as  absolutely  controlling  to  the  forces  of  material  nature,  as 
the  human  soul  is  superior  and  controlling  to  the  body.  —  Spiritual 
Teleyraph,  vol.  3,  p.  273.     See  Mark  16  :  17. 


r 


V  ■,' 


.i     I 


61 


SPEAKINa   IN  UNKNOWN  TONGUES. 

William  B.  Brittingham  related  an  interesting  fact.  A  Mr. 
Walden,  a  speaking  medium,  from  Ellicottville,  Cattaraugus  county, 
recently  visited  the  springs  which  are  the  property  of  Mr,  Chase 
and  the  narrator.  Immediately  after  hia  arrival,  and  while  standing 
on  the  stoop,  a  Swedi:-'  girl,  who  was  there  employed  at  domestic 
service,  came  out  of  the  house,  whereupon  Mr.  Walden  commenced 
speaking,  apparently  to  the  girl.  None  of  the  bystanders  under- 
stood the  language  used,  neither  did  the  medium  know  what  he  was 
saying.  The  girl,  finding  that  she  was  addressed  in  her  native 
tongue,  engaged  in  conversation  ;  she  appeared  to  be  deeply  inter- 
ested, and  was  soon  affected  to  tears.  Our  informant  inquired 
what  troubled  her,  and  she  said,  in  substance.  That  man  knows  all 
about  my  father  and  mother,  one  of  whom  has  leeyi  dead  six  months, 
and  the  other  eight  years  ;  it  is  said  that  they  are  talking  to  me  through 
him,  and  that  they  can  talk  to  me  through  other  mediums.  The  girl, 
who  had  never  before  witnessed  such  a  phenomenon,  was  amazed,  and 
of  course  unable  to  comprehend  how  Mr.  Walden,  an  American,  and 
totally  ignorant  of  her  family  and  of  the  Swedish  language,  could  speak 
to  her  in  so  mysterious  a  manner. 

A  German,  who  was  present  at  the  time,  requested  Mr.  Brittingham 
to  explain  the  matter,  when,  suddenly,  Mr.  Waldon's  hand  was  used 
by  the  invisible  intelligence  to  write  a  communication  in  the  German 
language,  which  neither  the  medium  nor  any  other  person  present,  the 
German  alone  excepted,  could  either  read  or  understand. 

Query.  —  If  "these  signs  follow  them  that  believe,"  where  shall  wo 
look  for  the  largest  number  of  true  believers,  in  or  out  of  the  church  ? 

8.  B.  B. 

—  Spiritual  Telegraph,  vol.  3,  pp.  62,  G3.     See  Mark  16 :  17. 

Dr.  G.  T.  Dexter,  of  N.  Y.,  says,  "I  have  heard  an 
illiterate  mechanic  repeat  Greek,  Latin,  Hebrew  and 
Chaldaic.  I  have  been  present  when  a  medium  answered 
my  questions  in  the  Italian  language,  of  which  she  was 
ignorant,  and  also  uttered  several  sentences  in  the  same 
language,  and  gave  the  name  of  an  Italian  gentleman  of 
whom  she  had  never  heard." — "  Judge  Edmond's  book." 
"  New  Testament  and  Modern  Miracles  Compared." 

6 


I' 


'  ff  * 


i 


li 


' 


62 


At  Yarmouth,  N.  S.,  December,  1853,  a  sceptic  held 
the  point  of  a  pair  of  scissors  in  his  hand,  so  that  ho  could 
not  control  the  pen  at  all,  which  was  passed  through  one 
of  the  handles.  In  this  position  fac  similes  of  the  signa- 
tures of  \arious  friends  of  his,  in  the  form  and  out  of  it, 
were  written,  and  a  sentence  written  different  from  his 
own  impression  of  what  it  would  be.  The  same  gentle- 
man, having  entered  the  room  a  sceptic,  was  an  excellent 
writing  medium  before  he  left.  A  similar  occurrence 
took  place  in  the  case  of  Hon.  Mr.  Simmons,  of  Rhode 
Island,  to  which  there  are  numerous  witnesses  whose 
characters  are  above  suspicion. 

■  ■% 

THE  GIFT  OF  DISCERNINQ  SPIRITS.    1  COR.  12  :  1—10. 

Joseph  Brysdale,  of  Kelloggsville,  Ashtabula  County, 
Ohio,  twenty  years  a  Methodist  preacher,  thus  writes 
(Sp.  Tel.,  April  10,  1854)  : 

"  Tliey  (the  spirits)  light  me  to  bed  with  a  bright  cloud.  *  *  * 
Now,  of  late,  I  am  enabled  to  see  my  father,  mother,  sister,  and 
brother-in-law  ;  but  none  so  plain,  or  so  long  a  time,  as  my  wife." 

Geo.  11.  Raymond,  of  N.  Y.,  testifies  as  follows  :  "  I  saw  the  form 
of  my  wife  standing  within  arm's  length  of  my  chair,  and  near  the 
table,  ^•'f  *  *  She  was,  so  far  as  features  are  concerned,  just  as  she 
appeared  in  life;  but  there  was  a  bright,  dazzling  radiance  about  her 
that  defies  description."  —  See  N.  T.  aJid  Modern  Miracles. 


1 


GIRL   TAUGHT   TO   READ   BY  SPIRITS. 

JV.  Y.  Conference,  —  Aug.  Qth,  1854.  Dr.  Smith  mentioned  the 
case  of  a  child,  some  seven  or  eight  years  of  age,  in  the  family  of  an 
acquaintance  of  his. 

She  appears  to  bo  a  medium  of  considerable  powers ;  but,  what  is 
more  singular,  the  child,  without  having  been  taught,  as  far  as  is  known 
to  any  of  the  family,  has  recently  and  most  unexpectedly  been  able  to 
read !    The  child's  own  simple  statement  of  the  matter  is,  that  her 


C3 


mother  in  heaven  has  come  to  her,  and  taught  hor  to  read. —  New  TeS' 
tamciit  and  Modern  Miracles  Compared,  p.  45. 


SPIRIT  VOICES. 

1  Sam.  3.  Daniel  15.  Matt.  3  :  37  ;  17  :  5.  John 
12  :  28.    Acts  9  ;  7. 

A  Mr.  T.  related  to  Mrs.  Crowe  (Night-side,  pp.  82 — 
87),  that,  by  a  spirit  voice  within  him,  which  uttered  a 
beautiful  prayer,  far  beyond  his  own  powers  of  composi- 
tion, he  was  prevented  from  taking  the  half  of  a  dose 
of  "•.  Ivulent  poison,  in  mistake,  for  medicine.  Had  he 
taken  the  whole,  his  life  would  have  been  the  sacrifice. 

Capt.  Griffiths,  commander  of  a  New  York  and  New 
Orleans  packet  ship,  was  once  saved  from  shipwreck  by 
an  invisible  voice,  calling  "  Breakers  ahead,"  several 
times,  when  he  was  in  his  berth.  He  supposed  himself, 
at  tho  time,  several  hundred  miles  from  land.  The  watch 
ha<l  nf '  discovered  the  danger,  and  the  captain  was  the 
first  to  give  the  alarm,  just  in  time  to  avoid  running  on 
the  rocks. 

Geo.  Raymond,  of  New  York  (previously  cited),  says, 
referring  to  the  visible  spirit  of  his  wife,  "If  ever  I 
heard  words  audibly  spoken  in  my  life  it  was  the  form 
saying,  '  Husband,  I  have  been  to  bless  our  little  Inez.'  " 

A  medium  in  Yarmouth,  N.  S.,  hears  as  if  it  were 
spirit  voices  in  his  brain,  communicating  to  him  ideas 
and  language  superior  to  anything  he  can,  in  his  natural 
state,  realize  or  compose.  This  takes  place  while  he  is 
in  full  possession  of  his  natural  faculties,  and  is  quite 
conscious  of  an  invisible  agency,  entirely  distinct  from 
his  own  mind.   Mrs.  Crowe  narrates  several  similar  cases. 


64 


^    I 


m 


CHAPTER  VII. 

^  cm  BONO  ? 

FACTS   PROVING   UTILITY    OF   SPIRIT   INTERCOURSE, 

A  VALUABLE  paper  relative  to  a  will  case  was  found  by 
a  spirit  communication  received  by  a  Mr.  Rowland,  of 
Rowland  Vale,  of  Gala,  Scotland.  Sums  of  money,  etc., 
have  been  found  at  different  times,  and  in  a  similar  way. 
See  Mrs.  Crowe's  "  Night-side." 

Rufus  Elmer,  of  Springfield,  says  (Spiritual  Telegraph,  No.  15),  "  A 
keeper  of  a  public  house  in  this  vicinity  becoming  convinced  of  spir- 
itual intercourse  by  the  development  of  a  medium  in  his  own  family, 
was  directed  by  the  '  sounds'  to  '  stop  selling  liquor,  and  send  his  chil- 
dren to  the  Sabbath-school,'  and  he  obeyed.  Wonder  if  the  above 
fact  will  afford  some  of  our  religious  editors  an  additional  evidence 
of  Satanic  agency  ?  "  / 


i 


i 


THE  GIFT  OP  HEALING  (MATT.  IG  :  17  ;  1  COR.  12)  POSSESSED  BY  SPIR- 
ITUALISTS  TO  AN  EXTENT  UNKNOWN  ELSEWHERE. 

Extract  from  Testimony  of  Rev.  II.  II.  Hunt,  healing 
medium  {New  Testament  and  Modern  Miracles,  p.  47) : 

At  a  circle  held  at  Adrian,  the  first  Sunday  in  July,  the  spirits 
wrote,  "  Seek  the  lame,  the  halt  and  the  infirm,  and  they  shall  be 
healed."  I  then  remarked  to  Mr.  J.  Reynolds,  "  It  cannot  be  done ; 
if  that  is  read,  away  go  the  spirits,  and  converse  to  others,  for  some 
one  will  be  presented  and  not  cured." 

Nevertheless  the  call  was  read  by  my  colleague,  when  Mr.  Lyons 
presented  himself,  stating  that  his  leg  had  been  drawn  up  by  rheuma- 
tism four  years,  and  was  under  acute  pain  at  the  time.  Without  exer- 
cise of  my  own  volition,  I  was  thrown  into  the  spiritual  state,  and 
placed  before  him.  I  was  also  made  to  speak  by  the  power  of  the 
spirit.  I  put  my  hand  on  him,  and  he  was  niado  whole.  He  dropped 
his  cane,  and  went  away  rejoicing;,  fioet  as  a  boy  of  sixteen. 


i  M 


G5 


Mrs.  Phccbc  Jane  Wooster,  or  Bridgport,  Ct.,  having  been  devel- 
oped as  a  spirit  medium,  cured  Mrs,  Dunn  of  putrid  sore  throat  by 
making  passes  thirty  minutes  while  under  spirit  possession. 

Sarah  Ilerron,  Morris,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  had  very  poor  health 
for  six  years,  but,  having  become  a  medium,  was  restored  to  health  by 
spirit  direction. 

John  M.  Spear,  of  Boston,  •who  has  for  years  acted  under  spirit  im- 
pression, was  directed,  by  a  spirit  controlling  his  hand,  to  go  to  Abing- 
don, twenty  miles  distant,  and  call  on  David  Vining,  a  man  he  had 
never  before  heard  of.  He  found  him  very  sick  with  neuralgia, 
rheumatism,  etc.  His  arm  was  controlled  by  invisible  agency  to  make 
passes  which  cured  him  in  a  few  minute?  Witnesses,  Philander  Shaw, 
Abingdon,  Seth  Hunt,  Weymouth,  Mass. 

The  same  medium  also  cured  Mrs.  Rhodes,  Lynn,  of  a  complication 
of  diseases,  by  unseen  agency,  when  by  unseen  hands  three  distinct  and 
difficult  surgical  operations  were  performed. 

In  Greensburgh,  Indiana,  a  man  was  cured  of  blind- 
ness by  following  the  directions  of  a  healing  medium, 
but  was  so  much  teazed  by  sceptics  for  going  to  a  spirit 
medium  that  he  denied  the  agency  of  spirits  in  the  mat- 
ter. Thereupon  he  gradually  became  worse  than  ever. 
He  returned  for  help  to  the  spirits,  acknowledged  their 
agency,  and  again  was  his  sight  restored. — N,  Era, 
No.  91. 

The  above  selections  relative  to  the  healing  power  of 
spirits,  are  only  a  few  out  of  the  thousands  that  could  be 
obtained.  The  difficulty  is  not  to  collect,  but  to  classify, 
condense  and  reject.  Yet  it  is  asked,  in  reference  to 
the  subject  of  spirit  intercourse,  What  use  is  it  ? 


ONE  GOOD   THING  THE   SPIRITS  HAVE  DONE. 

WiLLOuaHBY,  April  l[)tk,  1853. 
Eds.  Plain  Dealer,  —  A  few  days  since,  B.  Woolsey,  Esq.,  of  this 
place,  a  very  distinguished  Methodist,  whom  many  of  your  readers 
know  by  the  name  of  Father  Woolsey,  lost  his  pocket-book,  containing 
nearly  $100  in  bank  notes.  After  long  and  anxious  searching,  for 
days,  no  trace  oo  -'d  be  found  of  it.  Now  Uncle  Ben  is  a  God-fearing 
0* 


'lif 


If; 


66 


,1 ) 


man,  aud,  withal,  was  afraid  to  tempt  God  by  consulting  familiar 
spirits.  Yet  the  bare  possibility  of  finding  his  money  induced  him  to 
consult  them.  The  spirit  said  he  accidentally  dropped  his  pocket-book 
in  his  own  yard ;  that  an  individual  (describing  him)  picked  it  up,  and, 
fearing  to  pass  the  money,  gave  it  to  another  individual,  an  Irishman, 
who  exchanged  it  in  Cleveland  for  gold ;  that  the  Irishman  kept  half, 
and  the  man  who  picked  it  up  half.  On  this  information  the  Irishman 
was  charged  with  it,  and  all  the  circumstances,  place  where  found,  and 
kind  of  money  exchanged  for,  and  what  exchanged  for,  made  known 
just  as  the  spirit  detailed  it ;  whereupon  the  Irishman  and  his  friend 
owned  up  and  refunded  the  money,  greatly  to  the  joy  of  Father  Wool- 
sey,  who  thinks  there  must  be  something  i7i  it.  —  Cleveland  Plain 
Dealer. 

FAMILY  REUNION  THROUGH  SPIRIT  AGENCY.      FROM  THE  SPIRIT- 
UAL  TELEGRAPH,  AUGUST,  1834. 

The  whereabouts  of  Mr.  Philo  T.  Beardslev,  now  of  / 
Bridgewater,  Nova  Scotia,  was  ascertained  by  his  rela- 
tives in  Connecticut  through  spirit  agency.  lie  left 
New  England  47  years  ago  for  the  W.  Indies,  and  had 
not  been  heard  from  for  38  years.  His  relatives  having 
changed  their  names  by  marriage,  he  had  lost  all  trace 
of  them.  Mrs.  David  Middlebrook,  of  Bridgeport,  his 
sister,  about  four  years  since  attended  a  circle  at  Dr.  J. 
R.  Mettler's,  Henry  Gordon,  medium.  She  solicited  a 
communication  from  her  brother,  but  a  spirit  purporting 
to  be  her  mother  replied,  "  Philo  is  yet  living  in  the 
body."  Inquiries  made  subsequently  through  other  me- 
diums confirmed  the  statement,  and  added  that  he  lived 
near  Halifax,  N.  S.  She  was  directed  to  write  the  post- 
master there  for  further  information,  and  thus  ascertained 
his  residence.  At  the  spirit  interview,  when  she  sent 
this  letter  to  Halifax,  Mrs.  M.  requested  the  spirit  to  give 
the  name  of  one  of  his  daughters,  if  he  had  any.  Leo- 
nora was  rapped  in  reply.  The  first  letter  received  from 
the  family  in  Bridgewater  in  answer  to  their  inquiries 


67 


was  su  signed  hy  his  daughter.  When  these  facts  were 
published  in  the  Telegraph,  he  was,  at  the  time,  with  his 
sister  above  mentioned,  on  a  visit  to  another  sister  in 
New  Fairfield,  Conn.  "  Thus,  after  a  separation  of 
forty-seven  years,  the  scattered  members  of  the  family 
were  brought  together  by  a  human  spirit — their  mother." 


SPIRIT     INTERCOTTRSE      VCrSUS     INFIDELITY.  —  STATE     OP     THE 
CUURCn,  NECESSITY  OF   A  NEW  DISPENSATION. 

There  is  nothing  imaginary  in  the  statement  that  Creed-Powor  is 
now  beginning  to  prohibit  the  Bible  as  really  as  .Rome  did,  though  in  a 
subtler  way.  During  the  whole  course  of  seven  years'  study,  the  Pro- 
testant candidate  for  the  ministry  sees  before  him  an  unauthorized 
statement,  spiked  down  and  stereotyped,  of  what  he  must  find  in  the 
Bible,  or  be  martyred.  And  does  any  one,  acciuainted  with  human 
nature,  need  be  told  that  he  studies  under  a  tremendous  pressure  of 
motive  ?  Is  that  freedom  of  opinion  ?  —  "  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ 
maketh  free "  ?  Rome  would  have  given  that.  Every  one  of  her 
clergy  might  have  studied  the  Bible  to  find  there  the  Pontifical  creed 
on  pain  of  death.     Was  that  liberty  ? 

Hence  I  say  that  liberty  of  opinion,  in  our  theological  seminarie,:-, 
is  a  mere  form.  To  say  nothing  of  the  thumb-screw  of  criticism,  by 
which  every  original  mind  is  tortured  into  negative  propriety,  the 
whole  boasted  liberty  of  the  student  consists  of  a  choice  of  chains  —  a 
choice  of  handcufi's  —  whether  he  will  wear  the  I'resbyterian  handcuff, 
or  the  Methodist,  Baptist,  Episcopal,  or  other  evangelical  handcufi'. 
Hence  it  has  secretly  come  to  pass  that  the  ministry  themselves  dare 
not  study  their  Bibles.  Large  portions  thereof  are  seldom  touched.  It 
lies  useless  lumber ;  or,  if  they  do  study  and  search,  they  dare  not 
show  the  people  what  they  find  there.  There  is  something  criminal  in 
saying  anything  new.  It  is  shocking  to  utter  words  that  have  not  the 
mould  of  age  upon  them.  —  Rci\  C/ias.  Becchcfs  Discourse  at  the 
dedication  of  the  Seco7id  Presbyterian  Church  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind., 
1840. 

To  the  shame  of  the  Cliurch,  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  foremost 
men  in  all  our  philanthropic  movements,  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
spirit  of  tiie  age ;  in  the  practical  application  of  genuine  Christianity; 
in  the  reformation  of  abuses  in  high  and  in  low  places  ;  in  the  vindi* 


i 


.r-* 


Ji 


JJ,|IJI.MLll..lWUilillH.JI.imill 


■  ;i 


,1 


cation  of  the  rights  of  man  ;  and  in  practically  redressing  his  wrongs, 
in  the  moral  and  intellectual  regeneration  of  the  race,  are  the  so-called 
infidels  (?)  in  our  land.  The  Church  has  pusillanimously  left  not  only 
the  working-oar,  but  the  very  reins  of  salutary  reform,  in  the  hands  of 
men  she  denounces  as  inimical  to  Christianity,  and  who  are  practically 
doing  with  all  their  might,  for  humanity's  sake,  that  which  the  Church 
ought  to  be  doing  for  Christ's  sake  ;  and  if  they  succeed,  as  succeed 
they  will,  in  abolishing  slavery,  banishing  rum,  restraining  licentious- 
ness, reforming  abuses,  and  elevating  the  masses,  then  the  recoil  upon 
Christianity  will  be  disastrous  in  the  extreme.  Woe,  woe,  woe  to 
Christianity,  when  infidels,  (?)  by  force  of  nature,  or  the  tendency  of  the 
age,  get  ahead  of  the  Church  in  morals ;  and  in  the  practical  work  of 
Christianity,  in  some  instances,  they  are  already  far,  far  in  advance ; 
in  the  vindication  of  truth,  righteousness  and  liberty,  they  are  the  pio- 
neers, beckoning  to  a  sluggish  Church  to  follow.  ■ 


-Neiu  York  Evangelist. 


The  Editor  of  the  Independent  says :  "  Among  all  the  earnest- 
minded  young  men  who  are  at  this  moment  leading  in  thought  and 
action  in  America,  we  venture  to  say  that  four-fifths  are  sceptical  even 
of  the  great  historical  facts  of  Christianity.  What  is  told  as  Christian 
doctrine  by  the  churches  is  not  even  considered  by  them.  And  fur- 
thermore, there  is  among  them  a  general  ill-concealed  distrust  of  the 
clerical  body  as  a  class,  and  an  utter  disgust  with  the  very  aspect  of 
modern  Christianity  and  of  Church  worship.  This  scepticism  is  not 
flippant ;  little  is  said  about  it.  It  is  not  a  peculiarity  alone  of  the 
radicals  and  fanatics ;  many  of  them  are  men  of  calm  and  even  bal- 
ance of  mind,  and  belong  to  no  class  of  ultraists.  It  is  not  worldly 
and  selfish.  The  doubters  lead  in  the  most  self-denying  enterprises  of 
the  day." — Extract  from  '■'^Independent,''^  Spiritual  Telegraph,  ii.  336. 

Under  date  of  "  Pitlsficld  IS.  H.,  Sept.,  1852,"  a  correspondent 
writes  as  follows : 

"  For  the  last  sis  and  a  half  years  I  have  followed  the  occupation 
of  pedler  in  this  State.  I  have  sold  without  any  regard  to  truth ;  and, 
during  that  time,  I  learned  to  play  cards  for  money,  and  lost  in  money 
six  thousand  dollars,  and  in  time  four  thousand  dollars  (if  time  can  hv 
reduced  to  dollars  and  cents),  and  became  in  my  belief  nothing  but  ;i 
professed  Atheist,  —  doubted  the  existence  of  a  God,  and,  conse- 
quently, did  not  believe  in  any  revealed  religion.  I  had,  in  my 
travels,  seen  a  number  of  spiritual  mediums,  and  believed  it  all  to  be  a 
humbug." 


69 


In  September,  1852,  the  writer  of  the  above  was  visited  by  spirits, 
between  one  and  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Of  that  visit  he  writes 
thus: 

"I  cannot  give  any  description  of  my  feelings;  but  it  seemed  as  if  I 
was  in  a  now  world ;  and  the  firbt  thing  that  came  into  my  mind  was, 
There  is  a  God;  and  the  next,  There  is  a  spiritual  world,  and  we  must 
exist  hereafter.  Then  all  was  calm,  and  I  was  happy,  though  I  had 
been  miserable  before.  They  then  told  me,  in  a  loud  whisper,  what  to 
do.  First,  to  quit  playing  cards;  next,  lo  stop  peddling,  and  go  to 
school." 

They  next  directed  him  to  certain  persons  who  would  assist  him  in 
disposing  of  his  stock  and  obtaining  an  education.  He  closes  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  I  firmly  believe  it  was  the  spirits  of  departed  friends  that  pro- 
duced this  great  change ;  for  I  have  turned  a  complete  somerset,  and 
am  now  a  new  man.  I  will  go  to  school  till  I  spend  what  little  money 
I  have,  which  is  about  five  hundred  dollars." 

a: 

CONVERTED   THROUGH   SPIRIT  MANIFESTATION. 

Another,  writing  from  Crawfordsville,  Ind.,  says : 

"  I  have  been  an  infidel  fourteen  years.  I  am  now  a  firm  believer 
in  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  I  am  worth  but  little  of  this  world's 
goods ;  but,  if  you  could  place  the  wealth  of  your  State  at  my  dis- 
posal, on  condition  that  I  would  give  up  what  knowledge  I  have,  and 
relapse  into  the  state  I  was  a  Cow  years  ago,  it  would  be  no  tempta- 
tion to  me."  —  Amioers  to  Seventeen  Objections,  pp.  58,  59,  61. 

Mr.  S.  B.  Brittan  having  some  time  since  estimated 
the  number  of  persons  previously  holding  deistical  and 
atheistical  sentiments  who,  through  modern  spirit  inter- 
course, now  believe  in  a  future  life,  etc.,  at  two  hundred 
thousand,  the  Boston  Investigator  thought  this  estimate 
wholly  improbable.  W.  P.  Smith,  of  W.  Burlington, 
Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  thus  wrote  the  Telegraph  on  the 
subject,  this  summer  (1854),  stating  that  in  that  vicinity, 
to  his  certain  knowledge,  at  least  seventy,  formerly  deists 
and  atheists,  were  then  believers  in  spirit  intercourse, 


I' 


''I 


MMiW 


I 


70 


'  (■ 


after  two  or  three  years  of  patient  investigation.  J.  II. 
Whiting,  of  Winsted,  Conn.,  also  wrote  that  as  many  as 
thirty  in  that  vicinity  have  become  spiritualists,  also 
deists  and  atheists  previous  to  the  advent  of  modern 
spiritualism,  and  for  some  time  after.  The  celebrated 
Robert  Owen  is  also  a  believer. 


'1 


CUI   BONO? 


\ 


tr 


% 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

FACTS   TENDING   TO    PROVE   IDENTITY. 

Mrs.  Bukbank,  of  Hartford,  writing  medium,  having, 
while  in  an  unconscious  state,  received  a  communication 
purporting  to  be  from  Daniel  Webster's  spirit,  it  was 
folded  in  an  envelope  and  given  to  Mrs.  Mcttler,  of  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  Psychometric  reader.  Had  it  been  written 
by  the  mind  of  the  medium,  her  character  would  have 
been  given  ;  as  it  was,  the  character  of  Daniel  Webster 
was  given  —  Mrs.  M.  being,  of  course,  entirely  unac- 
quainted with  the  circumstances. 

In  reference  to  an  occurrence  connected  with  the 
above,  Henry  Bryant,  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  writes  as  fol- 
lows : 

On  the  evening  of  the  15tli  of  Nov.,  while  sitting  in  the  circle  at 
Mr.  R.'s,  there  being  some  twenty  persons  present,  I  suggested  that 
we  call  for  the  spirit  of  Dr.  lirigham.  A  few  minutes  afterward  the 
medium  gave  a  beautiful  delineation  of  the  appearance  and  character 
of  the  lato  Dr.  Brigham.  The  likenes.s  given  was  very  startling.  It 
occurred  to  me  that  I  would  ask  the  spirit  of  Brigham  for  a  test,  and 
I  mentally  said,  "Will  the  sjiirit  of  IJrigham  bring  the  spirit  of  Teller, 


71 


U 


who  was  executed  in  this  city,  some  twenty  years  since  ? "  This,  in 
rapid  thought,  passed  through  my  mind ;  I  had  no  faith  in  getting  a 
response  to  it.     I  soon  forgot  the  whole  thing. 

I  had  known  the  Doctor  and  Teller  also;  indeed,  I  had  painted 
Teller's  portrait,  and  that  of  the  negro  Caesar,  while  they  were  in 
prison,  and  but  a  few  days  previous  to  their  execution.  In  painting 
their  portraits  1  had  considerable  conversation  with  them. 

The  medium  turned  to  me  with  her  hands  together,  and  apparently 
trying  to  separate  them.  I  could  not  understand  her  pantomimic  act- 
ing, and  I  requested  others  to  come  and  sec  if  they  could ;  when  sud- 
denly the  medium  started  up  to  me,  and  said,  "  Bryant,  don't  you  know 
me  ?  "  I  said,  "  No."  She  then  said,  "  Don't  you  see  I  am  hand- 
cuffed?" "  Well,  what  is  your  name?"  I  asked.  Slio  replied,  "It 
began  with  T,  but  I  cannot  get  the  full  name  "  (usually  she  gives  the 
name  in  full).  The  spirit  saw  that  he  was  recognized,  and  then 
spoke,  through  the  medium,  of  the  affray  that  occurred  at  the  state 
prison;  in  fact,  related  over  again  the  story  of  his  violence  —  even  to 
the  telling  me  the  place  where  he  concealed  the  bar  of  steel  that  he 
used  in  that  affair ;  also  the  same  conversation  that  he  had  related 
while  he  was  sitting  for  his  picture.  He  even  said  more ;  he  said, 
*'  Bryant,  you  were  mistaken  in  your  views  as  regarded  the  future."  I 
answered,  "  Yes,  I  suppose  I  was."  (I  may  as  well  remark,  that  at 
that  time  I  did  not  believe  in  a  future  state  at  all,  and  the  views  he 
alluded  to  were  those  that  I  tried  to  impress  upon  him,  to  keep  up  his 
courage ;  that  death  would  be  but  a  momentary  pang,  and  all  would 
be  over,  and  he  would  be  in  a  dreamless  sleep.  I  was  sincere,  but  I 
have  had  some  light  since,  and  now  the  future  has  become  a  tangible 
reality.)  He  went  on,  said  I  was  mistaken,  and  that  he  came  to  me 
after  the  execution,  and,  said  he,  "  You  saw  me  in  a  largo  croicd,  I 
camo  to  let  you  know  that  you  were  in  an  error,  and  that  there  is 
another  state  of  existence." 

This  piece  of  information  was  the  more  startling  to  me,  because  I 
have  been  rather  cautious  about  relating  my  own  ghostly  experiences. 
But  the  facts  were  briefly  these :  Some  weeks  after  the  execution,  I 
was  at  a  "  general  training  "  in  a  distant  town ;  it  was  about  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  I  had  gone  out  into  the  thickest  of  the 
crowd,  and  was  enjoying  the  fun,  when  who  should  I  see  standing  be- 
fore me  but  that  same  prisoner,  Teller  !  There  was  the  same  face  I 
had  painted,  the  same  prison  dress ;  and  his  deathless  gray  eyes  were 
peering  into  mine  with  an  unearthly  intensity  that  was  horrible !     I 


in 


§i 


n 


72 


soon  found  my  way  to  the  hotel,  without  the  least  desire  of  again 
going  forth  that  evening.  All  this  was  brought  back  to  me  with  the 
most  vivid  sense  of  reality. 

Now  the  medium  seemed  to  have  another  influence  on  her.  She 
rolled  down  her  under  lip,  and  said,  "  Massa,  don't  you  know  me, 
too  ?  "  and  the  poor  negro  Cicsar  had  come.  Then  the  spirit  of  Brig- 
ham  spoke,  and  said,  "  Friend  Bryant,  you  see  I  have  responded  to 
your  nmital  question,  and  in  this  case  I  hope  you  are  satisfied  that  we 
can  and  do  come  to  those  that  take  an  interest  in  the  manifestations." 

Henry  Bkyaxt. 
—  Spiritual.  Telegraph  Papers,  iii.  319 — 321. 

Rev.  John  Prince,  of  Essex,  jVIass.,  writes  to  the  New 
Era,  in  substance,  as  follows,  (N.  Era,  GG)  : 

A  circle  was  held  at  Wm.  J.  Synett's,  Essex,  Jan.  17,  1854,  at 
which  he  was  present,  with  seven  others.  Medium,  John  W.  Hudson. 
A  spirit  communicated  as  follows :  "  My  name  is  Mary  R.  Harring- 
ton. I  died  last  month  in  Charlestown.  I  want  you  to  write  my 
afflicted  father,  and  tell  him  I  am  happy,"  We  inquired,  "  What  is 
the  first  name  of  your  father  ? "  when  the  word  "  Thaddcus  "  was  writ- 
ten. Soon  after,  the  following  was  added,  •'  My  middle  name  is  Roul- 
stone ;  you  had  better  put  that  in."  ^w 

Mr,  Sync'tt  wrote,  accordingly,  to  the  person  indicated ;  received  a 
letter  in  reply,  signed  Thaddeus  Harrington,  stating  that  his  daughter, 
Mary  Roulstone  Harrington,  died  Dec.  25,  1853,  in  Charlestown,  aged 
eighteen  years,  seven  months. 

The  medium  was  never  in  Charlestown  but  fifteen  minutes,  which 
were  occupied  in  visiting  Bunker  Hill  Monument,  nor  has  he  any  ac- 
quaintance there.  None  of  the  circle  knew  of  the  existence  of  the 
lady  or  gentleman  above  mentioned. 

At  a  circle  held  at  Mr.  Daniel  Russel's,  Milford,  N. 
H.,  about  August,  1854,  Mr.  Charles  Ramsdell  (now  of 
Woburn,  Mass.)  entered  into  the  superior  state,  and  de- 
scribed several  spirits  so  that  they  were  recognized  by 
their  friends  in  the  body  then  present.  Among  others 
he  saw  a  son  of  Dr.  Delicott,  of  Milford.  A  sliort  time 
after,  Dr.  D.  asked  Mr.  R.  to  walk  into  his  parlor,  showed 


ijffWj-.rviHi  '»"ai.n"»" 


73 


him  a  portrait,  asked  him  if  he  had  seen  any  such  person 
in  the  spirit  world.  He  replied  that  he  had  seen  a  per- 
son exactly  like  the  portrait  above  the  nostrils,  but  not  be- 
low it.  Dr.  D.  then  said  that  it  was  a  likeness  of  his  son 
deceased,  but  was  incorrect  as  regards  the  lower  part  of 
the  face.  Dr.  D.  then  showed  Mr.  R.  three  daguerreo- 
types, and  asked  him  if  he  had  seen  either  of  them  in  the 
spirit  land,  lie  put  his  hand  on  the  middle  one,  and 
stated  that  it  was  the  exact  likeness  of  the  man  he  had 
seen  while  in  the  superior  state  the  evening  previous.  It 
appeared  that  all  three  were  taken  for  likenesses,  but  the 
one  he  selected  was  the  only  correct  one.  Mr.  R.  had 
never  seen  the  person  in  the  body. 

Scores  of  similar  cases  have  occurred  in  ]Mr.  Ramsdell's 
experience.  Spirit  communications,  purporting  to  be  from 
Rev.  Wm.  Wishart,  of  St.  John,  N.  B.,  through  the  writer 
of  this  work,  were  psychometrically  examined  by  his 
wife,  who  was  entirely  ignorant,  until  afterwards,  how 
or  by  whom  it  was  written.  The  character  and  pecu- 
liarities of  Mr.  W.  (lameness,  etc.),  were  given.  She 
had  never  seen  him.  Other  spirit  writings  through  the 
same  medium  have  been  likewise  examined  by  her  in  a 
similar  manner,  the  character  given  differing  in  each  case. 
Psychometry,  or  soul  measuring^  through  letters,  locks 
of  hair,  etc.,  though  done  without  the  aid  of  departed 
spirits  in  nearly  all  cases,  has  yet  important  bearings  on 
the  question  of  spirit  identity.  The  faculty  is,  too,  es- 
sentially spiritual  in  its  nature. 

CASE    OF  SIR  JOHN   FRANKLIN. 

In  Halifax,  N.  S.,  February,  1854,  I  asked  any  spirit 
present  to  communicate  through  raps.  Mrs.  J.  Johnson, 
medium.  Knocks  came,  but  we  could  not  guess  what 
spirit  it  was  ;  and,  after  several  fruitless  attempts  to  do 

7 


74 


W  '- 

Ir 
if 


I':'-      i 


SO,  asked  the  spirit  to  spell  the  name.  "  Sir  John 
Franklin"  was  given.  We  could  elicit  nothing  further 
by  raps  ;  but,  expressing  a  wish  to  write,  my  hand  was 
controlled,  and  the  following  received : 

The  cau.ic  of  our  failure  was  a  season  which  set  in  with  unusual 
severity,  at  an  earlier  period  than  usual.  The  indifferent  manner  in 
which  our  provisions  were  packed  spoiled  many  of  them,  and  com- 
pelled me  to  detach  too  large  a  party  to  hunt,  so  thatwc  could  not  pre- 
vent the  ships  being  crushed  by  ice.  Thus  driven  from  our  refuge,  all 
who  had  not  previously  been  drowned  or  died  of  hardship  perished  from 
the  combined  effects  of  coli  and  hunger.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
defective  quality  and  fastenings  of  the  provisions  we  should  not  have 
been  jammed  up,  as  there  would  have  been  no  necessity  to  have  hunted 
until  we  were  in  a  locality  more  favorable  for  the  pirposc.  *  *  * 
The  result  of  our  operations  was  the  discovery  of  a  large  tract  of  open 
water  near  the  North  Pole.  *  *  *  Our  farther  f  i  ress  was 
stopped  by  a  barrier  of  ice  about  three  miles  wide.  Oui  nen  trav- 
ersed it,  and  from  the  other  side  was  seen  an  open  sea  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach  to  the  northward.  We  were  reluctantly  compelled  to 
retrace  our  stops,  and  try  to  proceed  westward  in  another  direction. 
On  our  return  by  the  route  we  had  come,  we  were  crushed  by  the  ice 
in  the  manner  above  related.     *     *     # 

The  invariable  result  of  developing  physical  science  in  advance  of 
social,  is  to  wante  the  life  and  energies  of  those  who  are  most  adapted 
to  advance  the  interests  of  the  race  in  unavailing  projects  and  useless 
privations. 

I  asked  a  test  of  identity.  It  was  replied  that  none 
could  be  given  at  that  time,  but  would  be  at  another. 
Some  months  afterwards  I  read  an  article  in  a  number 
of  the  American  Vegetarian,  copied  from  an  English 
paper,  to  the  effect  that  a  firm  in  Bohemia  had  largely 
supplied  the  British  government  with  preserved  meat  in 
tins,  some  years  previous  to  Franklin's  departure.  That 
some  time  after  that  event,  circumstances  having  caused 
suspicion,  seven  thousand  tins  were  opened  and  exam- 
ined.   The  contents  were  found  to  be  of  a  most  revolting 


76 


description  and  quite  putrid.  Though  a  copious  supply 
of  disinfecting  fluid  was  used,  the  examination  had  to  be 
discontinued  for  fear  of  a  plague.  A  portion  of  these 
had  been  supjiliad  to  Sir  Joh?i  Franklin. 

The  evidences  of  identity  are,  then,  as  follows: 

1.  The  communication  was  unsolicited  and  unexpected. 
No  spirit  purporting  to  be  Sir  John  Franklin  has  commu- 
nicated with  me  before  or  since.  I  have  never  felt  any 
particular  interest  in  his  operations,  and  at  the  time  of 
receiving  the  communication  believed  him  to  be  still  in 
the  body. 

2.  That  T  had  no  idea  what  could  have  caused  his 
death,  having  heard  nothing  about  the  quality  of  the  pro- 
visions furnished  him  until  some  months  after  receiving 
the  communication. 

3.  The  writing  purporting  to  be  from  him  has  been 
psychometrically  examined  by  two  readers.  No  distinct 
impressions  as  to  character  or  occupation  were  received, 
but  both  readers  (operating  independently  of  each  other) 
felt  sensations  similar  to  that  of  a  person  dying  of  exhaus- 
tion, gradually  falling  into  a  sleep.  One  of  them  sub- 
sequently felt  as  if  she  were  awaking  in  a  higher  state 
of  existence. 


i4 

it: 


At  a  sitting  held  at  Mr.  C.  Ramsdell's,  Woburn,  Sept. 
1854,  Mr.  C.  R.,  medium,  he,  while  in  the  superior  state, 
personated  my  wife's  mother.  He  was  entirely  unac- 
quainted even  with  her  name.  Iler  manner  and  phrase- 
ology, both  decidedly  peculiar,  were  imitated  to  the  life. 
The  first  words  he  uttered,  while  under  her  inlhience, 
were  the  last  pronounced  by  her  while  in  the  earthly 
body ;  and,  at  the  close,  both  her  names  iverc  distinctly 
enunciated  btj  the  medium. 


m 


70 


SUMMARY    01-'   Till]    QUESTION    OF   IDENTITY:    BY   A.    E.    NEWTON, 
AT   IJOSTON    CONFERENCE. 

lie  (Mr.  A.  E.  Newton)  was  far  more  concorneJ  to  be  able  to  iden- 
tify a  truth  than  a  spirit ;  to  determine  an  Eternal  Principle,  than  to 
discover  who  announced  it.  *  *  *  Where  there  is  a  complete 
concurrence  of  testimony,  from  the  accurate  comnmnication  of  test 
facts,  from  the  correct  descrij)tion  of  the  personal  appearance  and  the 
individual  characteristics  of  the  spirit,  as  perceived  by  the  spiritual 
senses,  with  a  thorough  actual  perception  of  the  truthfulness,  purity, 
and  love  of  the  communicating  intelligonco,  the  evidence  is  the  strong- 
est that  can  be  conceived ;  it  is  demonstration  in  the  higher  sense  and 
to  the  higher  senses.  —  JV.  Era,  93. 


t  '■ 


I  , 


II 


I 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SPIIUTUALISM   NOT   A    CAUSE    OF   INSANITY. 

Cornwall,  St.  Lawbrnce  Rivek,  C.  W.,  Feb.  27,  1853. 
Mb.  S.  B.  13iiiTTAN : 

Alleged  cases  of  insanity  from  spiritual  manifestations  may  thus  be 
classified : 

1.  Among  those  in  whom  insanity  has  taken  place  from  this  sup- 
posed cause,  there  are  some  who,  though  they  have  witnessed  these 
manifestations,  have  taken  no  part  in  them  —  were  not  deeply  inter- 
ested in  them  —  and  perhaps  did  not  believe  in  them  at  all.  The  fact 
of  such  persons  having  witnessed  them  is  eagerly  laid  hold  of  by  the 
enemies  of  spiritualism,  and  assigned  as  a  cause  of  their  malady,  with- 
out proof.  Probably,  in  cases  of  insanity  originating  in  other  causes, 
patients  may  have  alluded  to  such  things  in  their  ravings,  in  common 
■with  other  occurrences  of  peculiar  interest. 

2.  Persons  of  a  very  susceptible  organization  sometimes  become 
believers,  perhaps  mediums :  they  may  thus  lose  the  respect  and  aflcc- 
tion  of  their  dearest  friends ;  they  are  despised  and  ridiculed  as  vision- 
aries, or  denounced  as  impostors.  Is  it  surprising,  therefore,  that 
young  and  delicate  females,  and  even  men  of  unusually  nervous  tem- 


77 


pcramont.s  and  weak  pliysiciil  powern,  hocoinc,  under  such  circumstances, 
insane?  To  wliat  is  thi.s  result,  nttributublo  but  to  the  unrca.inriing, 
unchristian,  diubulicul  opposition,  sliown  by  professed  lulhoronts  of  th*:, 
gospel  of  love,  by  a  "  holy  uUianco  "  of  Koniunists,  orthodox,  sceptics 
and  sensualists,  bandt.'d  together  to  frown  down  a  spirit  of  investiga- 
tion which  would  disturb  their  unhallowed  repose  ?  These  cases  are 
not,  then,  produced  by  spiritualism,  but  by  "  faith  without  works  "  and 
"  creeds  without  charity,"  constituting  the  essence  of  modern  ortho- 
doxy. For  these  results  it  is  not  spiritualists  that  arc  responsible,  but 
»uch  oi)ponent3  as  are  unwilling  to  investigate  the  subject  with  that 
calmness  and  impartiality  which  become  true  followers  of  Christ,  who 
•'  prove  all  things,  and  hold  fast  that  which  is  good." 

3.  Many  become  partial  converts  to  spiritualism,  fully  imbued  with 
the  conunon  ideas  of  religionists  as  to  the  spirit  world,  that  to  hold 
intercourse  with  it  is  peculiarly  awful  and  terrible.  Orthodox  people 
regard  spirits  not  as  men,  of  all  grades  of  morality  and  intelligence, 
but  as  either  totally  malignant  or  t^upremely  beneficent.  Such  persons, 
on  becoming  mediums,  conceive  themselves  peculiarly  distinguished  — 
inspired  in  the  highest  sense.  They  know  of  no  dij0ferent  kinds  or 
deyrees  of  inspiration;  with  them  inspiration  implies  infallibility. 
Hence,  on  receiving  communications  not  decidedly  malignant,  they 
attribute  them  to  what  they  call  "good  spirits,"  who  are  probably  little 
or  no  more  developed  than  themselves,  and  are  sometimes  deceptive ; 
they  give  thera  unhesitating  credence,  and  are  consequently  sometimes 
led  into  acts  of  eccentricity  bordering  on  insanity.  They  seem  to  have 
no  conception  of  spirits  not  positively  malignant,  yet  debased,  selfish 
and  narrow-minded.  Such  spirits  exist  in  the  body,  why  not  out  of  it? 
But  for  such  ideas  leading  to  such  results  who  is  responsible  ?  Evi- 
de7itly  the  orthodox  teachers  of  the  people,  who  indoctrinate  them  with 
ideas  as  to  the  spirit  world,  which  here  show  their  legitimate  fruits. 
"  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  thera." 

These  ideas  cause  intercourse  with  spirits  out  of  the  body,  and  every- 
thing connected  with  a  future  state,  to  bo  regarded  with  unreasoning 
terror,  which  sometimes  results  in  insanity,  which  is  the  legitimate 
rcj^ult  of  orthodox  delusions,  not  of  spiritualist  teachings.  It  is  known 
that  two  main  causes  of  insanity  are  religious  delusions  and  alcoholic 
liijuors.  By  diverting  people's  attention  from  reaJ  lo  imaghianj  evils, 
orthodoxy  in  a  great  degree  nullifies  the  efforts  of  practical  reformers 
to  remove  causes  of  insanity,  and  other  forms  of  social  evil,  the  causes 
of  which  are  well  known  to  all  who  investigate  the  subject,  and  quite 

•7* 


I' 


I 

f!' 


^8 


ik 


I 

I 
f 


^     J 


easy  of  removal  but  for  the  opposition  made  by  orthodoxy  to  some  or 
all  useful  reforms.  Some  orthodox  people  nmo  advocate  strongly  tem- 
perance reform ;  but  in  its  early  days  it  was  strenuously  opposed,  and 
in  some  places  is  still  opposed,  as  "  infidel,"  etc. 

4.  How  many  spiritualists  confined  as  lunatics  are  really  so  ?  and 
how  many  that  are  so,  have  been  made  so  by  improper  treatment  ?  A 
jury  in  Ohio  once  declared  a  man  insane  because  he  believed  in  mes- 
merism and  phrenology.  In  the  Ohio  State  Lunatic  Asylum,  forty 
persons  are  confined  whose  insanity  is  said  to  have  originated  in  spirit 
rappings.  May  there  not  be  some  viade  insane  by  confinement  in  the 
game  manner  as  a  French  inventor  of  the  steum-cnginc  was  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  since  ? 

5.  A  very  small  number  of  cases  possibly  exist  wherein  the  intense- 
interest  excited  in  these  manifestations  may  cause  insanity,  to  which 
the  persons  may  have  been  strongly  predisposed.  But  I  doubt  the 
existence  of  such  canes,  as  the  influence  of  spiritual  teachings  not  only 
doe.«  not  tend  to  produce  insanity,  but  has  a  positively  counteracting 
tendency. 

Admitting  the  forty  cases  in  Ohio  to  be  the  legitimate  results  of 
spiritualism,  let  us  try  3Iethodistic  revivals  by  a  similar  test,  and  sec 
whicli  comes  out  second  best.  In  Ohio,  forty  in  a  population  of  one 
million  five  hundred  thousand  qive  one  in  thirty-seven  thousand  five 

hundred  from  three  years'  operation.     In ,  Canada,  llev. 

preached   about  three  months:    out  of  a  population  of  thirty 

thousand,  thirteen  persons  were  afterward  in  the  lunatic  asylum  from 
attending  his  ministrations,  being  one  in  two  thousand  three  hundred 
and  eight. 

Without  making  allowance  for  the  shorter  tinio  Mr. operated 

in,  and  the  fact  of  his  doctrines  not  being  new  to  most  people,  —  spirit- 
ualism being  in  one  sense  new  and  atartling,  —  it  appears  that  (so 
called)  revival  preaching //roc^Mces  sixteen  and  one-fourth  times  as  much 
insanity  as  spiritualism  h  said  to  do,  and  that,  too,  among  a  less  excit- 
able population  than  thj  people  of  Ohio. 

Advice  to  orthodox  papers  : 

"  First  pull  the  beam  out  of  thine  own  eye,"  etc.  "  People  that  live 
in  glass  houses  should  n't  throw  stones."  What  is  there  in  spiritualism 
to  cause  insanity  ?  Is  it  the  doctrine  that  our  character  and  position  in 
the  spirit  land  arc  influenced  strongly  by  all  our  thoughts  and  acts  in 
this  ?  Is  it  the  belief  that  there  we  shall  bi;  in  a  state  of  progression 
from  lower  to  higher  developments,  with  less  or  greater  rapidity  in 


M 


■■«  mm*^^!^m 


79 


proportion  to  our  use  oi  opportunities  here,  and  that  in  the  future  life 
many  will  have  opportunities  for  progress,  which  they  cannot  have  in 
the  body  ?  Does  it  produce  insanity  to  know  that  a  future  life  is  no 
philosophic  myth  —  no  sectarian  dream  —  but  a(h'nionHtrat(!d  and  ever- 
preseni  reality  ?  I)oes  it  produce  insanity  to  know  that  the  highest 
and  holiest  aspirations  of  our  nature  aro  no  glorious  yet  transient 
hallucinations,  but  destined  to  be  realized  far  beyond  our  utmost  con- 
ceptions? If  these  ideas  produce  insanity,  it  is  such  insanity  as  I 
would  not  barter  for  worlds,  It  is  such  that  moves  poets,  prophets. 
and  philanthropists  in  their  glorious  missions;  such  as  Paul  exhibited 
before  Volix  when  he  trembled  ;  such  as  inipelloil  Isaiah  to  paint  bright 
visiows  of  a  sinless  future  on  earth ;  and  such  as  trengthcned  the 
"  Man  of  many  sorrows,"  to  reject  the  temptations  of  the  world,  the 
flesh,  and  the  devil,  and  to  consummate  his  magnificent  mission  of  "  peace 
on  earth  and  good  will  toward  men." —  SjnrUual  Tel, 


CLASS  I.  —  OASES  OF  REAL  IXSANITV  FALSELY  CnARGED  TO  SPIU- 

ITUALISM. 

SpiiinrAi,  llAri'iNU.  —  The  Auburn  Daihj  Adveriiser  learns  with 
deep  regret  that  Mr.  Crocker,  agent  of  the  Christian  Ambassador  \n 
that  city,  a  highly  esteemed  gentleman,  has  had  his  mind  so  much 
wrought  upon  recently  by  the  "  splrltn,"  that  he  is  now  v/ild  with  in- 
sanity. —  Exchange. 

Years  ago  we  knew  Mr.  Crocker.  He  was  a  Very  escifa1)le  man. 
and  had  been  in  the  lunatic  asylum  at  IJtica  long  before  his  "  mind 
became  so  wrought  on  by  spirits."  Then  the  subject  on  which  lie  wa.- 
excited  was  religious  anxiety.  Let  the  rappers  have  justice  and  fail 
play.  —  Philadelphia  Register. 

Martin  Laiigdon,  a  New  York  j,rintcr,  read  ihe  Spir- 
itual Telegraph,  attended  spirit  cirole.g,  and,  January, 
1853,  committed  suicide  in  tlic  Bellevue  ho.spital.  Post 
hoc  ergo  propter  hoc,  said  the  coroner's  jury  on  the  in- 
quest :  in  other  words,  they  recommended  the  grand 
jury  to  suppress  the  circles  mentioned  by  the  witnesses. 
This  occasioned  further  investigation.  Ilis  employer, 
W.  T.  Bauer,  who  had  known  hun  some  years,  testifies, 


I 


80 


'\'\ 


in  a  letter  to  the  N.  V.  Tribune  (republished  in  Spirit- 
ual Telegraph),  that  Langdon  had  repeatedly  threatened 
to  destroy  himself  before  the  "  rappings"  were  heard  of, 
and  says  that  he  "  never  met  with  a  more  unfortunately 
organized  being,  ir.entally  and  physically." 

The  insanity  was  hereditary  ;  nobody  had  ever  known 
him  to  be  otherwise.  His  case,  however,  was  fathered 
upon  spirit  intercourse.  It  occasioned  a  discussion  of 
principles,  a  portion  of  which  is  subjoined. 

CoROXEii's  Jury  oyer  LANorx/N.  —  The  Star  Spangled  Baiiner  is 
after  our  coroner's  jury  in  manner  and  form  as  follows  : 

"  We  should  like  to  inform  thcpe  astute  jurymen  that  they  live  in  the 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century  ;  that  the  more  they  attempt  to  keep 
truth  down  the  more  it  won't  be  kept  down ;  that  forbidding  inquiry 
into  the  merits  of  a  new  thing  is  an  '  old  f.  gy  '  notion  worn  out  and 
gone  down  to  the  dust  with  the  superstitions  and  tyranny  of  the  past. 

"  We  suspect  that  these  jurymen  were  born  in  Salem,  about  the  year 
1G92,  and  have  lain  in  a  Rip  Van  Winkle  sleep  ever  since,  hav- 
ing no  idea  that  matters  and  things  have  slightly  changed  since  that 
day. 

"  Without  asking  any  one  to  believe  that  the  remarkable  phenomena, 
which,  for  two  or  three  years  past,  have  created  such  an  interest  in  the 
community,  are  produced  by  the  agency  of  departed  spirits,  it  is 
enough  to  assert  that  certain  astonishing  appearances  have  been  ob- 
served. They  are  strange  and  startling,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  men 
and  women  should  be  interested,  and  desire  to  investigate  them. 

"  It  is  rare  that  a  person  of  intelligence  can  be  found  ;i*  this  stage  of 
the  investigation  who  has  the  hardihood  to  say  they  arc  produced  by 
collusion  and  deception.  The  facts  are  too  well  substantiated  to  be 
denied,  and  those  who  have  witnessed  the  exhibitions  Z^cZiei'e  in  ihofact, 
if  not  in  the  theory. 

"The  spiritual  manifestations  arc  wonderful  phenomena  —  they  av', 
alleged  to  be  produced  by  departed  spirits.  This  is  a  bold  allegation. 
Is  it  wonderful  that  the  people  wish  to  investigate  it  ?  Some  of  the 
best  and  most  learned  men  in  the  community  have  assented,  not  only 
to  the  facts,  but  to  the  theory.  The  people  say,  show  us  ;  but  the  jury- 
men say  720 ;  people  go  crazy  over  it ! 


81 


"  It  is  gravely  asserted  that,  in  the  insane  asylums,  are  several  per- 
sons who  have  become  insane  on  account  of  spiritual  manifestations. 
Perhaps  there  are ;  we  do  not  doubt  it.  What  does  it  prove  ?  —  that 
the  investigation  of  this  subjtijt  ought  to  be  suspended  —  put  down? 
In  looking  over  the  returns  of  almost  any  insane  asylum,  we  shall  find 
that  more  or  less  persons  have  become  insane  by  a  morbid  excitement 
over  religious  topics.  Shall  religion  be  banished  because  a  man  went 
crazy  over  it  ? 

"  A  dozen  more  in  the  same  institution  were  afflicted  by  loving  '  not 
too  wisely,  but  too  well.'  Joe  Bumpkin  popped  the  question,  and  Je- 
mima Spriggs  said  no ;  whereupon  Joe  Bumpkin  went  mad,  which 
shows  that  '  courting' ought  to  be  abolished.  It  is  no  argument /or 
courting  that  certain  strong-minded  men  have  been  able  to  make  love, 
and  even  get  married,  without  losing,  or  even  sensibly  debilitating,  their 
brains.  The  case  of  Joe  Bumpkin  must  constitute  the  premiaes  m  the 
ease,  and  love  is  condenmed  and  exorcised. 

"  Students  go  mad;  hence  science  and  philosophy  have  no  business  in 
the  world.  Artists  go  mad ;  hence  painting  and  sculpture  ought  to 
receive  their  '  walking  ticket.' 

"  The  love  of  money,  anxiety  to  get  or  to  keep  property,  has  robbed 
men  of  their  brains.  Ought  we  not,  therefore,  to  introduce  the  laws  of 
Lycurgus,  or  resolve  the  country  into  a  Fourier  community,  because 
money,  besides  being  ■  the  root  of  all  evil,'  makes  men  go  mad  ? 

"  We  do  not  believe  in  this  bugbear  of  getting  crazy.  It  is  abuse,  not 
use,  that  turns  mens  brains.  Tf  men  and  women  will  become  insane, 
they  arc  very  unfortunate,  and  deserve  sympathy.  We  pity  them,  but 
wo  do  not  think  that  free  inquiry  is  to  be  put  down  because  thoy  were 
over-zealous  and  excitable. 

"  If  the  spiritual  manifestations  are  a  '  humbug,'  let  it  b<'  proved  by 
unrestricted  examinatiun.     If  not  — 


'  Truth,  crushed  to  earth,  will  rise  again, 

The  eternal  years  of  God  are  heiti  ; 

But  Error,  wi)uuile<l.  writhes  in  pain, 

AuJ  dies  amid  licr  worshippers.'  " 


'I* 


CLASS  II. 


CASEtS  OF  ORTHODOX   INSANITY. 


Mrs.  Boylos,  wife  of  William  Boyles,  who  resides  in  the  vicinity  of 
Independence,  Coles  county,  [11.,  attempted  to  commit  suicide  one  day 
last  week,  by  cutting  her  throat  with  a  butcher  knife.  Slio  out  twice 
with  the  knife,  severing  the  windpipe  nearly  in  twain.     We  understand 


m 


82 


1;   r-i 


M 


she  has  been  a  respectable  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  for  a 
number  of  years;  but,  for  some  time  past,  had  been  in  great  distress  of 
mind,  z/i  comcqncnce  of  a  belief  that  her  soul  was  to  be  irretrievably 
lost.  —  Spiritual  Telegraph. 

The  Rev.  3Ir.  Bennett,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  chaplain  to  the 
University  of  Virginia,  has  become  deranged.  —  Exchange. 

Will  some  of  our  exchanges  inform  us  whether  being  chaplain  to  a 
university  docs  not  tend  to  produce  insanity  ?  —  Ed.  Spirit.  Telegraph. 

The  Louisville  Journal  relates  the  facts  concerning  the  suicide  of  a 
lad  of  thirteen  years,  named  Henry  Merriman,  ten  miles  from  that  city. 

"This  is  one  of  the  most  mysterious  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  ex- 
traordinary cases  of  suicide  ever  committed  in  this  country.  Henry 
was  a  devout  Christian.  He  had  lost  a  little  sister  who  belonged  to 
the  Church.  The  sister  had  given  him  a  prayer-book  on  her  doath-bed, 
and  desired  him  to  use  it.  He  had  become  so  interested  in  the  book, 
and  on  the  subject  of  meeting  with  a  dear  sister,  that  it  was  a  subject 
of  daily  conversation  and  prayer  with  him.  He  appeared  desirous  to 
be  with  her.  His  mother  had  told  him  that  he  would  meet  his  sister 
in  heaven  after  death.  He  prayed  nightly  and  daily  to  sec  her,  and 
ill  a  fit  of  religious  insanity  he,  upon  his  knees,  cut  his  throat  from 
ear  to  car,  severing  both  jugular  veins.  This  was  a  sorry  sight  to  look 
upon,  —  a  heart-broken  mother,  afflicted  father,  and  distressed  rela- 
tives, —  this  was  a  scene  to  dissolve  a  heart  of  stone.  Every  one 
present  was  in  tears ;  every  man  became  as  it  were  a  child.  The  ver- 
dict of  the  jury  was,  that  the  child  came  to  his  death  from  the  in- 
fluence of  the  above  facts,  causing  religious  insanity." 

A  man  in  Rochester,  in  August,  1854,  attended  a  camp  meeting  in 
Bergen,  N.  Y.,  and,  becoming  insane,  was  taken  to  the  asylum.  — 
New  York  Sun. 

A  few  years  since,  I  was  on  an  excursion  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  a  British  American  city,  with  some  relati^  es  and 
a  female  friend.  A  celebrated  ]\Icthotlist  revivalist 
preacher  was  then  in  the  city.  The  aforesaid  female  had 
Ijcen  a  diligent  attendant  on  his  ministry.  An  elderly 
female  met  me,  and  asked  if  <lu!  young  lady  she  had  just 
passed  was  of  our  party,   and  whether  she   was  right  in 


•"   ,'WIW"J"  ij^i"  iii||"iJiiP'"IIJii!(«9fB«^ 


8d 


m 


her  mind.  I  replied  that  she  was  excited  probably  on 
account  of  her  attendance  on  the  ministrations  of  the 
above  preacher.  She  then  stated  that  her  demeanor  was 
very  simihir  to  that  of  her  daughter,  who  had  died  raving 
mad  in  the  lunatic  asylum  a  few  days  previously,  her  in- 
sanity being  of  a  decidedly  religious  character.  8he  too 
had  attended  the  ministrations  of  this  miscreant,  who 
kneiv  the  effect  of  his  performances :  twelve  had  become 
insane  after  attending  them.  Similar  results  had  been 
produced  by  him  elsewhere ;  yet  the  press  dared  not  pub- 
lish these /ac/6\ 

These  are  but  a  few  of  the  numberless  well  authenti- 
cated cases  of  insanity  directly  and  mainly  caused  by 
certain  teachings.  The  subject  of  orthodox  religious  in- 
.sanity  will  be  again  adverted  to. 

CLASS    III.  —  SPIRITUALISTS     ALLEGED    TO    HAVE    BEEN"    INSANE 

WUO  ARE  NOT  SO. 

Ira  B.  Edily,  a  wealthy  retired  merchant  of  Chicago,  au  earnest 
spiritualist,  wuh,  under  pretence  of  insanity,  gagged,  forcibly  taken 
1000  miles,  and  imprisoned  in  a  lunatic  asylum  at  Hartford,  Conn. 
It  is  surmised  that  ho,  being  a  rich  man,  and  his  relatives  anti-spirit- 
ualists, they  thought  it  a  pity  that  a  heretic  should  have  such  power- 
ful means  of  spreading  his  principles,  as  of  course  no  selfish  desire  to 
control  his  projicrty  cuuld  have  any  influence.  At  any  rate,  a  certifi- 
cate of  insanity  was  procured  from  another  anti-s|.iiitu;ilist,  and  he  was 
hurried  off.  His  friends  (not  rchitives),  however,  had  the  matter 
tested ;  he  was  examined  in  Hartford,  and,  no  proots  of  insanity  having 
been  adduced,  he  was  liberated  after  a  week's  sojourn,  during  which 
time,  howe\  ^. ,  he  ascertained  some  of  the  secrets  of  the  prison-house. 
Sec  Td.  Papers,  vol.  2,  p.  0. 

W.  II.  Potter,  Circlovillo,  Pickaway  Co.,  Ohio,  two  years  ago,  be- 
came interested  in  .spiritualism,  and,  for  purposes  of  investigation, 
formed  a  eirclo  in  his  own  i'amily.  After  sitting  a  few  evenings,  his 
hand  was  nuived,  and  a  rofjuest  was  written  without  his  volition  that 
he  ehould  go  into  u  room  by  himself,  and  await  the  iafluonc^  of  the 


M 


I 


84 


Spirits,  who  would  develop  him  for  a  special  purpose.  With  this 
request  he  complied,  and,  in  obedience  to  further  directions,  kept  his 
room  several  days,  during  which  time  ho  became  developed  as  a  writing 
medium.  lie  was,  in  the  mean  while,  entirely  cured  of  a  disease  which 
had,  for  eight  years,  affected  him  with  severe  pain.  This  confinement 
to  his  room  for  most  of  the  time  during  four  or  five  days,  excited  the 
suspicions  of  his  neighbors,  who  surrounded  the  house,  and  besought 
him  to  renounce  spiritualism,  threatening  him  with  the  lunatic  asylum 
if  he  did  not  yield.  He  told  them  plainly  that  he  could  not  renounce 
what  he  knew  to  be  true,  and,  as  for  the  rest,  they  might  do  with  him 
as  they  pleased.  They  accordingly  forcibly  took  him  to  the  Lunatic 
Asylum  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  they  kept  him  seven  weeks.  Find- 
ing all  efforts  to  induce  him  to  abandon  his  spiritualism  ineffectual, 
and  the  physicians  of  the  institution,  and  his  friends  at  home,  knowing 
him  to  be  perfectly  sanu,  he  was  liberated  at  the  end  of  seven  weeks, 
and  sent  home.  This  happened  in  the  summer  of  1852,  and  is  sub- 
stantially the  history  of  a  large  portion  of  those  spiritualists  who  have 
been  imprisoned  on  the  plea  of  insanity.  —  Spiritual  Telegraph. 

CLASS   IV.  —  YARNS   OUT   OF    WHOLE    CLOTIL 

A  lady  had,  for  some  time,  been  confined  to  her  room  from  the 
effects  of  a  diseased  nervous  system.  A  pious  Methodist  neighbor, 
who  knew  that  some  portion  of  the  family  were  believers  in  the  spirit- 
ual matiifestations,  conceived  the  benevolent  design  of  making  some 
capital  against  the  spiritualists  out  of  the  circumstances.  lie  reported 
that  the  lady  was  insane  on  the  subject  of  spiritualism,  and  caused  the 
facts  to  be  extensively  circulated  as  a  "  solemn  warning." 

The  facts  of  the  case  were,  that  the  lady  had  never  been  insane ; 
that  she  was  not  particularly  interested  in  the  "rappings;  "  that  she 
had  never  heard  them  more  than  ten  minutes  in  her  lifoj  that  she 
was  never  an  enthusiast  in  anything;  that  there  is  no  medium  in 
the  neighborhood  where  thoy  live ;  and,  finally,  the  whole  story  was 
a  base  fabrication  from  bcginnivg  to  md,  gotten  up  by  those  who 
fancy  they  can  advance  their  cause  by  such  means.  We  have  no 
doubt  but  an  examination  into  many  of  the  reported  cases  of  in- 
sanity would  be  found  equally  false  and  malicious. 

CLASS  V. — INSANITY    SPIRITUALLY    CURED. 

A  young  man,  Alfred    Rhodes,  eighteen  years  of  ngc,  of  Lynn, 
Mass.,  had,  owing  to   a  nervous   affection,  been   insane   from   child- 


r'li  wn^f 'ww^?'^»w»inpi? 


85 


in 
was 
who 
no 
in- 


hood,  and  unable  to  do  the  least  thing  toward  procuring  a  liveli- 
hood. The  parents  of  the  young  man  consulted  a  Miss  Smith,  a 
spirit  medium  and  water-cure  ph3'sician.  She  was  impressed  with 
a  series  of  prescriptions,  which,  together  with  the  more  direct  appli- 
cation of  spirit  influence,  and  manipulations  through  Mr.  John  M. 
Spear,  have  resulted  in  a  permanent  cure  of  the  boy,  and  he  is 
now  able  to  earn  his  livelihood  with  ease. 

From  the  Fifteenth  Report  of  the  Ohio  State  Lunatic 
Asylum,  it  appears  that  the  forty  patients  confined  in  it 
two  years  since,  whose  insanity  was  attributed  to  spirit- 
rapping,  are  gone  down  to  eleven,  and  a  broad  hint  is 
given  that  even  these  ought  not  to  be  as  large.  The  in- 
sanity of  thirty-eight  is  attributed  to  religious  excitement, 
a  larger  number  than  from  any  other  cause,  and  more 
than  three  times  the  number  said  to  be  insane  from  spir- 
itualism. Yet  nobody  talks  of  suppressing  orthodoxy  on 
this  account.  •'  One  man  may  steal  a  horse  with  impu- 
nity, and  another  be  hanged  for  looking  over  the  hedge." 
Out  of  nine  causes  of  insanity,  enumerated  in  this  report, 
spiritualism  is  the  least,  orthodoxy  the  greatest.  A 
clerk  in  an  asylum  informed  me,  that  when  patients 
come  who  were  insane  from  religious  excitement,  their 
friends  usually  assigned  other  causes,  so  that  the  i^eal 
numl)er  insane  from  tliis  cause  was  usually  much  under- 
rated. Yet,  in  the  face  of  these  facts,  the  orthodox  press 
and  pulpit  have  the  audacity  to  charge  spiritualism  with 
producing  insanity.  The  force  of  impudence  and  knave- 
ry can  go  no  further.  "  Those  who  live  in  glass  houses 
should  not  throw  stones."  *'  Thou  hypocrite,  first  cast 
out  the  beam  out  of  thine  own  eye,  then  shalt  thou  see 
clearly  to  cast  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's." 

From  lunatic  asylum  reports,  taken  collectively,  it 
appears  that  tlie  number  of  hmatics  now  in  confinement 
through  the  United  States  is  only  one  fourth  of  what  it 
8 


f 


86 


1 


was  one  year  ago  ;  yet  the  adherents  of  spiritualism  have 
doubled  in  number.  It  is,  therefore,  quite  evident  that 
large  numbers  of  spiritualists  were  confined  without 
cause,  as  there  is  no  cause  in  operation  to  account  for 
such  a  sudden  diminution ;  unless  we  suppose,  that  a 
belief  in  spirit  intercourse  tends  to  diminish  religious 
insanity,  by  infusing  views  of  futurity  more  in  harmony 
with  reason  and  love. 


CHAPTER    X. 


M 


SUNDRY    OBJECTIONS    CONSIDERED. 

Objection.  —  Manifestations  undignified,  inferior  and 
contradictory. 

It  is  said  that  people  now  become  insane  from  them  ; 
what  might  be  expected  if  spirits  rose  up  to  greet  us  at 
every  corner  ? 

This  objection  is  equally  applicable  to  the  Bible.  See 
Ezek.  4  :  12—15. 

The  ancient  were,  the  modern  demonstrations  are, 
adapted  to  tlie  wants  of  their  respective  periods.  Tangi- 
ble, physical  fticts  are  most  in  demand,  and  the  supply 
is  furnished  accordingly.  "  God  hath  chosen  the  weak 
things  of  this  world  to  confound  the  mighty,"  and  a  few 
table-movings  arc  putting  theologians  and  scientifics  (?)  at 
their  wits'  end.  If  the  form  in  which  they  appear  is  un- 
dignified, their  success  is  so  much  the  greater  proof  of 
the  intrinsic  truth  of  the  philosophy  which  they  cover. 
The  sensual  and  the  selfish  cannot  receive  the  higher 
forms  of  truth.  Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together.  If 
impure  or  contradictory  communications  are  received, 
the  medium,  or  circle,  correspond,  or,  perhaps,  the  latter 


is  discordant,  attracting  inferior  spirits,  or  breaking  the 
chain  of  connection.  As  water,  when  disturbed,  reflects 
falsely,  imperfectly,  or  not  at  all,  the  images  on  its 
banks  ;  so,  calmness,  harmony,  and  elevation  of  soul,  are 
requisite  for  receiving  truthful  communications. 

At  one  moment  a  question  is  put  admitting  an  afilrma- 
tivo,  the  next  one  requiring  a  negative  response.  Half 
a  dozen  mental  questions,  admitting  of  various  answers, 
are  given  by  as  many  members  of  a  circle,  and  what  one 
questioner  takes  for  the  answer  to  his  inquiry  may  be 
the  reply  to  that  of  another.  ]\Iany  persons'  minds  are 
not  clear  enough  to  be  read  by  spirits.  Spirits  are  neither 
omniscient,  omnipotent,  nor  omnipresent,  and  can  only 
give  their  opinion.  Sometimes  the  mistake  lies  with  the 
inquirer,  though  fathered  on  the  spirits.  In  one  case  a 
communication  was  received  by  a  lady,  through  Rev.  C. 
Hammond,  from  a  spirit,  purporting  to  be  her  sister. 
She  denied  having  a  sister  in  the  spirit  world  ;  the  spirit 
stated  that  she  was  an  illegitimate  child,  born  before  her 
parents  married,  and  died  the  day  of  its  birth.  The  lady 
said  it  was  a  lie,  but  on  inquiry  found  it  to  be  the  fact. 

Again,  inquirers  sometimes  do  not  come  in  a  candid 
frame  of  mind ;  they  put  lying  questions,  and  suspect 
deception,  judging  others  by  themselves.  Occasionally, 
they  get  what  they  seek,  namely,  to  bo  convinced  it  is  u. 
humbug. 

Another  reason,  indirectly  referable  to  human  agency, 
is,  that  people  hero  become  selfish  and  vicious  for  want  of 
proper  training,  and  a  social  organization  founded  on 
love  and  justice.  Taverns  are  licensed  to  sell  poisons  ; 
schools  ,are  contrivances  for  turning  men  into  calculating 
machines,  women  into  domestic  drudges,  or  (worso  still), 
fine  ladies.  Clergymen,  instead  of  teaching  practical 
moralitv,  and  its  <-win  sister,  physiological  science,  wrangle 


!■» 


il 


•l 


88 


about  creeds,  and  conccntmtc  people's  uUcntion  on  saving 
their  own  little  souls,  by  a  process  little  better  than 
mechanical,  instead  of  endeavoring  to  enlarge  them  by  a 
life  of  active  benevolence  and  harmony.  Men  brought 
up  under  such  influences  enter  the  spirit  land,  and  it  is 
no  marvel  that  inferior  messages  come  back.  Those  who 
are  mainly  instrumental  in  upholding  those  evils  theu 
grumble  at  their  own  work  ;  they  sow  the  wind,  and  then 
object  to  reap  the  whirlwind.  Teach  men  to  lead  a  true 
life  Acre,  to  purify  their  body,  the  temple  of  the  spirit, 
by  living  in  accordance  with  natural  law,  and  elevate  the 
soul  by  cultivating  their  higher  faculties.  The  hells  are 
populated  from  the  earth.  The  fountain  cleansed,  the 
stream  runs  pure.  Consciously  or  unconsciously,  we 
must  receive  communications  from  the  spirit  world  ;  it  is 
for  us  to  determine  their  nature. 

Do  religionists,  who  oppose  spiritualism  on  the  ground 
of  its  real  or  supposed  contradictions,  fully  realize  that 
they  take  the  identical  ground  occupied  by  infidels  in 
reference  to  Christianity  ?  Those  latter  argue  that  it 
cannot  be  divine  in  its  origin,  as  the  sects  contradict  each 
other  in  regard  to  fundamentals  as  well  as  details. 

SPIRIT   IXTEllCOURSE   CATHOLIC,    NOT  SECTARIAN. 

It  is  useless  to  identify  spiritualism  with  any  sect.  It 
is  eclectic,  selects  from  many,  yet  is  distinct  from  all. 
It  is  said  to  be  of  Universalist  origin  ;  this  is  an  ad  cap- 
tandum  objection  ;  derives  its  force  only  from  the  assump- 
tion that  the  popular  sects  are  infallibly  right.  The 
spirits  in  general  are  very  unaccommodating  —  won't  Ml 
in  with  any  party,  but  differ  from  all.  I  do  not  consider 
the  position  of  the  Universalist  denomination  to  be  favor- 
able to  spiritualism.     A  writer  in  "  The  Trumpet"  felt 


89 


"4 


'*  quite  wolfish  about  it."  Kditor  of  "  The  Ambassador," 
New  York,  has  repeatedly  written  adversely,  and  has 
attributed  it  to  a  trick  of  some  Orthodox  people  to  bolster 
up  rotten  creeds.  Most  of  the  Universalist  papers  are 
more  or  less  opposed  to  spiritualism,  though  not  opposed 
to  investigation.  Rev.  Uriah  Clark,  and  other  ministers 
of  that  denomination,  have  dissolved  their  connection 
with  it  on  account  of  avowing-,  publicly,  their  belief  in 
modern  spirit  intercourse.  Similarly  with  Methodists, 
and  other  sects.  The  latest  opponent  of  spiritualism,  J, 
]3.  Dods,  was  a  Universalist  minister,  and  has  not,  I 
think,  left  the  denomination.  If  it  gains  more  converts 
among  the  Universalists  than  among  other  bodies,  il 
only  proves  that  they  have  most  candor  and  courage. 

Furthermore,  spirits  can  only  tell  what  they  know,  if 
they  tell  truth  ;  perhaps  the  spirits  in  affinity  with  Uni- 
versalist iuquir'TS  have  no  attraction  to  the  orthodox 
hells,  and  don't  know  anythim/  about  them.  If,  how- 
ever, evangelical  (?)  opponents  wouhl  cultivate  thtur 
affinities  among  spirits,  they  m  -it,  perhnns,  get  some 
information  from  those  who  have  iiaH  pracU'al  experience 
in  the  brimstone  business. 

Objediun.  —  We  have  the  Bible;  we  want  nothing 
more  in  matter  relative  to  the  future  life. 

Answer.  —  To  suppose  that  the  Bible  contains  all  that 
is  necessary  for  man  to  know,  is  to  presume  that  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles  was  of  no  possible  conse- 
(piencc.  *  *  *  If  the  few  fragments  of  their  public 
discourses  which  ha^'e  f.ume  to  us,  contain  enough  for  us 
and  for  all  men,  the7  niust  have  been  sufficient  for  the 
first  century  ;  and  it  ;\  ill  appear  that  the  preaching  of 
Paul  and  John,  for  thirty  and  sixty  years  respectively, 
involved  a  prodi^  al  expenditure  of  time  and  labor. 
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Sciaices 

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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WERSTfR.N.Y.  14580 

'  n6)  872-4503 


We  have  heard  a  single  modem  sermon  equal  in  length 
to  all  that  is  directly  ascribed  to  Jesus ;  and  yet  we  are 
constantly  told,  by  divines,  that  the  Bible  contains  the 
sum  of  all  Divine  wisdom  yet  given  to  men.  If  the  few 
broken  fragments  which  have  been  preserved  and  trans- 
mitted to  us,  is  all  of  revealed  truth  that  Humanity  needs 
to  knoiv,  in  every  stage  of  its  development^  of  what  con- 
ceivable use  were  the  numerous  discourses  of  which  no 
record  was  made,  and  to  what  end  have  their  f  ccessors 
in  the  Christian  ministry,  in  every  quarter  of  iii  world, 
been  preaching  for  the  past  eighteen  centuries  ?  —  S.  B. 
Brittan's  Revieiv  of  Rev.  M.  Butler ,  D.  D. 

Objection.  —  To  compare  modem  manifestations  with 
Scripture  is  irreverent,  if  not  blasphemous. 

Answer.  —  My  veneration  is  well  developed,  but  I 
cannot  perceive  this  to  be  so.  Facts  of  spirit-intercourse 
are  recorded  in  the  Bible.  We  not  only  have  no  hint 
that  they  are  to  cease,  but  are  expressly  told  the  contra- 
ry. Joel  2  :  28.  Acts  2  :  17.  Is  not  the  expression, 
"  latter  days,"  as  applicable  to  the  nineteenth  century  as 
to  the  first  ? 

In  1  Cor.  12,  we  are  exhorted  by  Paul  to  desire  spir- 
itual gifts ;  and,  by  the  description  of  what  these  are, 
we  find  them  identical  with  those  now  so  common  among 
spiritualists.  Mark  16  :  17, 18.  ^^And  these  things  shall 
follow  them  that  believe.  In  my  name  shall  they  cast  out 
devils."  (See  Judge  Edmonds,  p.  463  ;  Newton's  first 
pamphlet,  Ch.  vi.)  "  They  shall  speak  with  new  tongues. 
They  shall  take  up  serpents ;  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly 
thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them  "  (Ch.  vi.) ;  "  and  they  shall 
lay  hands  upon  the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover."  (Ch.  vii.) 
These  signs  (all  but  the  serpent-handling)  have  followed, 
and  do  follow,  modem  spiritualists,  but  not  anti-spiritual- 


!:■•.,• 


91 


ists.  Where  is  the  impropriety  of  attributing  them  to 
the  same  cause  ?  If  you  say  the  canon  of  Revelation  is 
closed,  I  defy  you  to  p/ove  it ;  precisely  the  same  objec- 
tion could  have  been  urged  against  the  New  Testament 
compilations  or  miracles  with  as  much  propriety. 

Objection.  —  They  are  demoniacal. 

Answer.  —  That  many  of  them  proceed  from  low  spir- 
its is  granted.  The  cause  has  been  previously  explained. 
In  making  this  objection  anti-spiritualists  now  occupy 
the  position  of  the  Pharisees  of  old  ;  this  same  reply  is 
available.  In  addition,  we  have  abundant  proofs  of  the 
utility  of  present  spirit  manifestations.  See  Ch.  vii.  If 
the  devils  are  at  the  bottom  of  it,  they  must  have  improved 
since  Christ's  time  considerably ;  then  they  made  folks 
sick,  now  they  cure  them.  The  fruits  of  these  manifesta- 
tions are,  "  love,  peace,  joy,"  etc.,  the  same  as  the 
"  fruits  of  the  Spirit."  Gal.  5  :  19.  "  The  works  of  the 
Qesh  are  manifest,"  in  the  treatment  of  spiritualists,  by 
their  clerical  and  pharisaical  opponents  ;  but,  "  By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  And,  tried  by  this  test,  the 
effects  of  spiritualism  will  contrast  favorably  with  those 
of  any  system  now  before  the  world. 

Objection.  —  Spirit  intercourse  is,  a  priori,  improbable. 

Answer.  —  That  many  believe  it  not  only  improbable, 
but  impossible,  is  evident  from  the  desperate  shifts  made 
to  account  for  the  facts  on  some  other  principle,  when 
denial  of  the  facts  themselves  is  useless.  But  what 
more  natural  than  that  those  we  have  loved  on  earth 
should  seek  to  revisit  us,  drawn  by  mutual  affection  ; 
that  spirits  of  the  blessed,  who,  in  their  earth-life,  have 
toiled  to  attain  truth  and  do  good,  should  revisit  those 
who  are  still  walking  in  shadow,  though  seeking  the 
light  —  those  whose  existence  is  consecrated  to  God  and 


92 


humanity  ?  It  is  said,  evil  spirits  would  not  be  permitted 
to  return,  and  good  ones  would  not  desire  it ;  but,  in  the 
first  place,  this  classification  is  arbitrary,  for  spirits,  like 
men,  must  be  of  all  grades,  if  there  is  a  future  individual 
existence,  as  any  sudden  change  of  character  on  entrance 
to  the  spirit  world  amounts  to  a  change  of  identity. 
Again,  if  evil  men  are  allowed  to  exist,  and  communicate 
thoughts  here,  who  can  prove  that  they  will  not  be 
allowed  to  do  so  (where  they  have  affinities)  when  in 
another  sphere  ?  If  any  human  being  regulates  his  life 
by  the  principle  of  love  to  man,  would  he  not  desire  to 
return,  if  he  could,  by  so  doing,  benefit  his  fellows  ? 
And,  "  lie  that  loveth  not  his  brother,  whom  he  hath 
seen,  how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen?  " 
1  John  4  :  20.  What  sort  of  heaven  must  that  be  where 
its  occupants  are  so  utterly  selfish  as  to  be  quite  indiffer- 
ent to  the  welfare  of  all  mankind,  including  their  dearest 
friends  ?  Save  me  from  such  a  heaven,  though  it  may 
suit  anti-spiritualists. 


CHAPTER    XL  ^^ 

PHILOSOPHY  OF  MIRACLES WHAT  USE  IS  IT  ?  —  INCARNA- 
TION OP  LOVE  IN  LIPE  —  HARMONIAL  COMMUNITIES  — 
CAUTION  TO  NEW  CONVERTS PSEUDO-SCIENTIFIC  EX- 
PLANATIONS —  WHO  ARE  INFIDELS  ?  —  SEPARATE  THE 
SHEEP   FROM  THE   GOATS. 


Ig  God  omniscient  and  omnipotent?     Did   he  make 
things  right  in  the  first  place  ?     If  so,  creation,  animate 


93 


or  inanimate,  human  or  angelic,  needs  no  tinkering,  and 
all  events  take  place  under  fixed  laws.  There  are  things 
superAwmflw,  but  not  awT^ernatural  ;  for,  if  God  made 
nature  and  instituted  its  laws  —  if  creation  is  an  outburst 
of  the  divine  mind,  the  body  of  the  Deity — then,  to  be 
above  nature,  is  to  be  above  God.  Magnetism  is  super- 
gravitational,  mind  is  super-material ;  and,  as  the  lower 
natural  law  is  suspended  by  the  higher,  in  the  case  of  a 
loadstone,  so  mere  human  or  terrene  agencies  can  be 
suspended  or  diverted  by  superAwwaw  intelligence. 
Hence  miracles  or  physical  spirit  demonstrations.  This 
theory  of  miracles  is  considered  probable  by  Bishop  But- 
ler, but  is  demonstrated  by  spirit  intercourse  now. 


WHAT  USE  IS  IT  7 

For  tangible  poases  of  utility,  see  "  Chapter  VII. 
Facts  proving  Utility." 

Is  it  of  no  use  that  friends  parted  by  death  are  meas- 
urably reunited  ?  If  we  were  going  to  a  distant  and  un- 
known country,  would  it  be  of  no  use  for  us  to  receive 
intelligence  from  those  who  had  lived  there,  even  if  they 
were  on  some  points  contradictory  ?  Is  the  communion 
of  saints  of  no  use  ?  Is  a  higher  wisdom,  a  more  devoted 
love,  no  use  1   For  such  arc  spirits  now  spreading  on  earth  ! 

Science  has  been  hitherto  superficial  and  unphilosophi- 
cal.  Its  devotees  have  assumed  to  discover  causes  and 
principles,  when  they  have  only  observed  facts,  and  that 
inadequately,  superciliously  rejecting  those  that  fit  not 
their  Procrustean  rules.  Spirits  are  brought  into  nearer 
relations  with  imponderable  agents  which  we  can  only 
dimly  observe  by  their  effects  ;  they  are  in  the  sphere  of 
causes ;  they  can  sense  these  invisible  agents  as  we  do 
tangible  forms  ;  estimate  the  modes  of  action  on  the  hu- 


94 


man  body  of  essences  of  plants,  etc,  -which,  with  other 
essences  from  the  spirit  world,  they  can  direct  to  the  aid 
of  the  sick  and  suffering  ;  they  can  enter  into  the  arcana 
of  the  human  spirit.  Hence  the  "gift  of  prophecy" 
(mediumship  for  elevating  spirit  communion)  enables  its 
possessor  to  "understand  mysteries "  hidden  from  the 
mere  man  of  science.  As  we  are  prepared  for  further 
knowledge  we  shall  receive  it.  Already  many  important 
truths  have  been  brought  to  light  beyond  our  powers  to 
ascertain.  The  science  of  man  in  all  its  phases  has  been 
wonderfully  extended  by  means  of  this  intercourse  ;  cer- 
tainty has  been  substituted  for  speculation,  order  for  con- 
fusion, although  as  yet  we  are  only  on  the  threshold. 
Quietly  and  invisibly  are  the  mightier  elements  of  phys- 
ical nature  elaborated  in  the  grand  workshop  of  the  uni- 
verse. Even  so  are  the  elements  of  change  in  the  spirit 
world  that  are  to  pull  up  by  the  roots,  in  a  generation, 
customs  and  opinions  hallowed  by  the  dust  of  centuries, 
and  substitute  those  in  harmony  with  truth  and  love. 

As  spirit  intercourse  becomes  common,  our  whole  life 
must  change.  Who  that  realizes  in  his  inmost  soul  the 
presence  of  angels  w^ould  cheat,  steal,  murder,  or  be  un- 
just in  any  way  ?  This  fact  fully  believed  and  realized 
would  at  once  change  the  current  of  our  business  and 
social  life  by  exterminating  secrecy  and  suspicion.  1  Cor. 
14 :  24,  25.  Every  man  would  be  seen  in  his  true 
colors.  Luke  12  :  2,  3.  "  For  there  is  nothing  covered 
that  ohall  not  be  revealed,  nothing  hid  that  shall  not  be 
made  known.  Therefore,  whatsoever  ye  have  spoken  in 
darkness  shall  be  heard  in  the  light,  and  that  which  ye 
have  spoken  in  the  ear  in  closets,  sludlbeproclaimedupon 
the  house-tops." 


95 


\ 


THE   INCARNATION   OF  LOVE   IN   LIFE. 

Spirit  intercourse  operates, — 

1st.  Negatively,  by  removing  obstacles  to  practical 
reform  arising  from  undue  concentration  of  mind  on 
future  interests,  to  neglect  of  present  duties,  which  pro- 
duces results  analogous  to  the  case  of  the  Grecian  philos- 
opher, who  was  so  intently  watching  the  stars  that  he 
fell  into  a  ditch.  So  people  are  so  intent  on  saving  them- 
selves from  a  supposed  external  and  distant  danger,  that 
they  ruin  themselves  internally  by  neglecting  the  culture 
of  their  higher  and  inner  naturq.  Expecting  to  be  saved 
by  something  external,  they  become  selfish  and  degraded, 
so  as  to  be  incapable  of  realizing  anything  but  a  low 
phase  of  being,  here  or  elsewhere.  A  belief  in  spirit 
intercourse  —  a  positive  knowledge  that  spirit  life  is  but 
an  outgrowth  of  the  present,  and  that  happiness  there 
can  be  enjoyed  only  as  we  become  wiser  and  more  loving 
here,  stimulates  to  self-culture  and  social  reform. 

2d.  Positively,  by  spreading  a  knowledge  of  the  laws 
of  life  and  health,  physical  and  spiritual ;  by  energizing 
principles  of  love  and  wisdom,  causing  a  desire  for  a  true 
physical  and  a  higher  form  of  social  life,  measurably  free 
from  the  selfish  element,  gratifying  the  social  faculties  by 
association  with  congenial  minds. 

By  developing  our  own  spiritual  nature,  so  that  we 
can  more  readily  perceive  affinities,  matrimonial  and  oth- 
erwise. Those  in  communion  with  a  class  of  spirits 
above  themselves  run  no  risk  of  forming  uncongenial  mat- 
rimonial relations,  as  a  spirit  out  of  the  form  can  perceive 
affinities  more  readily  than  a  person  in  the  natural  body  ; 
consequently  marriages  formed  by  them  Avill  be  happy 
ones,  and  the  offspring  of  such  gentle  and  loving,  harmo- 
nizing the  future. 


96 


Uut  its  tendency  "  to  unite  mankind  in  harmony  "  is  its  most  inter- 
esting feature  to  me.  If  it  is  all  imagination,  I  know  it  produces  this 
result.  I  have,  for  the  last  six  years,  been  deeply  interested  in  the 
social  condition  of  mankind ;  and,  were  it  not  for  this  present  in- 
flux of  spirit  life,  I  should  almost  despair  of  its  change  for  the  better. 

But  now  I  see  the  eyes  of  nearly  all  spiritualists  opening  to  the 
fearful  social  discords  which  are  baffling  all  individual  eiforts  for 
goodness  and  harmony.  With  but  few  exceptions,  every  spiritualist 
with  whom  I  have  met  has  somehow  become  possessed  of  an  intense 
desire  for  harmony.  "  Harmony"  "  Harmony"  I  hear  uttered  and 
repeated,  many  times,  in  every  circle  of  spiritualists.  I  know  it 
has  awakened  the  desire  in  the  hearts  of  thousands,  and  it  has  be- 
come intense.  Such  a  desire,  I  know,  will  be  answered  by  some 
mighty  practical  results.  —  New  Testament  and  Modern  Miracles. 

Accordingly,  it  is  giving  a  powerful  impetus  to  plans 
for  social  cooperation  and  harmonic  life.  The  following  is 
the  present  aspect  of  social  reform  : 

North  American  Phalanx,  in  Redbank,  Monmouth 
county,  New  Jersey,  started  in  1844  ;  90  members  and 
dependents ;  live  in  two  buildings  ;  business  horticultu- 
ral, carried  on  by  and  for  the  community ;  GOO  acres 
land  ;  woman's  rights  practically  carried  out ;  Bloomers 
worn. 

Hopedale  Community,  a  reform  village  ;  250  inhab- 
itants ;  live  in  separate  houses ;  tobacco,  liquor,  rowdy- 
ism, etc.,  strictly  excluded.  Members  guaranteed  mini- 
mum subsistence ;  non-resistants  ;  business  carried  on  both 
by  community  and  individuals,  but  in  a  spirit  of  co- 
operation ;  no  idlers  or  high  salaries  ;  business  princi- 
pally mechanical ;  most  of  them  spiritualists  ;  E.  D. 
Draper,  President ;  600  acres  ;  commenced  1842. 

Icarian  Community,  Nauvoo,  111.  French  and' Ger- 
man ;  common  property  ;  agricultural ;  400  persons  ; 
about  four  years  established. 

"Modern  Times"  city,  Long  Island, N.  Y.,  4Q  miles,  by 


,„,:., . « 


97 


railroad,  from  New  York  city  ;  Josiah Warren,  originator; 
based  on  individualism,  equity  in  trade,  voluntaryism ;  live 
m  separate  houses  at  present ;  800  acres.  (See  Science  of 
Society  ;  Equitable  Commerce  ;  Practical  Details.  By 
Warren  &  Andrews.)    About  15  to  18  houses. 

Similar  but  smaller  com.munity  in  Wisconsin  and  Ohio. 
This  one  is  likely  to  increase  very  much  this  year  and 
next. 

Risihj^  Star  Community,  near  Greenville,  Darke  county, 
Ohio.  John  Patterson,  Secretary.  All  business  under- 
taken by  and  for  the  community  ;  agricultural ;  25  per- 
sons ;  commenced  August,  1853  ;  will  live  all  in  one 
dwelling ;  all  labor  paid  alike  ;  all  spiritualists  ;  500 
acres. 

Raritan  Bay  Union,  near  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.  Com- 
menced March,  1853.  Building  large  unitary  dwel- 
ling, and  will  build  cottages  ;  live  at  cost ;  intellectual 
society ;  spiritualists  will  be  attracted ;  business  by 
groups  voluntarily  associated  or  by  individuals ;  school 
wherein  children  will  be  educated  naturally.  300  acres  ; 
business  various.     C.  B.  Arnold,  President. 

In  all  the  above  communities,  the  equality  of  the 
sexes  is  fully  recognized,  but  no  unpleasant  consequences 
found  to  result. 

In  a  volume  to  be  issued,  on  the  mutual  relations  of 
reform  movements  and  the  need  of  their  concentration, 
will  be  fully  set  forth  the  relations  of  spiritualism  to 
other  reforms. 


CAUTION   TO   BELIEVERS,   ESPECIALLY   NEW   CONVERTS. 

Cleanse  your  skirts  from  the  mire  of  the  slough  of  de- 
spond before  going  deeply  into  spiritualism.  When  sat- 
isfied of  the/ac^  of  spirit  intercourse,  take  time  to  look 

9 


Y 


I 


98 


around  you.  Keep  cool,  and  not  believe  all  you  get 
from  spirits,  as,  like  men,  they  are  of  all  shades  of  men- 
tal find  moral  development.  "  Believe  not  every  spirit, 
but  try  the  spirits  "  1  John  4:1.  Remember  that  low 
spirits,  like  men,  can  boast  and  flatter,  and  that  they  love 
authority.  Use  common  sense,  and  you  will  not  be 
troubled  by  them ;  don't  be  carried  away  by  a  belief 
that  you  are  somebody;  spirits  that  sound  their  own 
trumpet  are  not  elevated.  Wait  patiently  for  results. 
Elevate  your  own  spiritual  nature  by  the  earnest  prayer 
of  a  life  devoted  to  doing  good,  and  you  will  soon  rise 
above  the  fogs  of  uncertainty  into  the  clear  daylight  of 
experience.     .  :    : 

,  ,  PSEUDO-SCIENTIFIC   EXPLANATIONS. 

Dr.  Hare,  Professor  of  Chemistry  at  the  Pennsylvania 
University,  thus  writes  on  the  electrical  theory  to  the 
Philadelphia  Inquirer : 

I  am  of  opinion  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  for  six  or  eight  or  any 
number  of  persons,  seated  around  a  table,  to  produce  an  electrical  cur- 
rent. If,  by  any  means,  it  were  produced,  however  forcible,  it  could 
not  be  productive  of  table-turning. 

Subsequently  he  became  a  decided  convert  to  the 
spiritual  theory,  having  used  electrical  apparatus,  and 
resorted  to  every  other  means  to  detect  the  presence  of 
electricity,  for  several  months,  without  success. 

Extracts  from  remarks  of  Dr.  Robinson — Appendix  to 
Religion  of  Manhood — in  reply  to  magnetism  as  an  as- 
signed cause  : 

Reichenbach,  the  German  experimenter,  so  celebrated  for  starting 
the  odylic  theory,  says  of  the  attraction  exercised  upon  the  hands  of 
cataleptic  persons  by  a  magnet : 

"It  is  nothing  ponderable;  it  has  no  supporting  power;   cannot 


even  raise  iron-filings,  and  is  equally  incapable  of  affecting  the  needle 
and  inducing  a  magnetic  current." 

Taking  the  researches  of  this  distinguished  gentleman  for  authority, 
the  magnetic  condition  nf  no  person,  at  a  circle^  can  he  ruck  as  to  move 
amj  pomlerable  body. 

"  It  is  known  well  enough,"  adds  the  same  experimenter,  "  that  we 
are  not  acquainted  in  physics  with  a^iij  attrnctioii  which  is  not  recipro- 
cal." If  this  bo  an  axiom  or  unvarying  law,  characterizing  the 
dynamics  of  magnetism,  then  a  table  would  bo  just  as  likely  to  attract 
the  medium  as  the  medium  the  table. 

In  reply  to  the  assertion  that  ocl  force  could  produce 
the  manifestations  (pp.  239,  240)  : 

It  yet  remains  to  bo  proved  that  od  is  a  force,  or  that  it  is  capable, 
under  an}*  circumstances,  of  moving  ponderable  bodies.  Its  only 
known  power  is  that  which  it  has  exerted  upon  the  nervous  systems  of 
various  susceptible  persons.  It  can  bo  blown  about  like  the  flame  of  a 
candle,  with  the  breath,  even  when  discovered  in  its  most  positive 
state. 

It  is  because  so  little  is  actually  known  about  this  emanation,  that 
it  is  seized  upon  as  a  cause,  to  account  for  the  table  movements. 

May  it  not,  then,  justly  be  concluded  that  the  peculiar  property  of 
matter  which  has  been  named  od  has  no  more  positive  energy  to  pro- 
duce visible  effects  than  the  aroma  of  a  flower?  Allowing  that  one 
medium  eliminated  enough  of  this  vapor,  flame  or  light,  to  move  a 
table  with  four  men  upon  it,  the  intelligence  incontinently  displayed 
would  still  be  involved  iu  profound  mystery. 

Automatic  brain  (pp.  241,  245) : 

In  order  that  a  brain  should  act  automatically,  it  is  absolutely  ne- 
cessary that  the  force  that  ordinarily  operates  it  should  be  entirely 
withdrawn,  when  life  would  be  extinct.  How  a  brain  can  act  auto- 
matically, while  the  mind  is  in  connection  with  it,  und  perfectly  con- 
scious and  cognizing,  with  all  its  ordinary  peculiarities  characterizing 
it,  is  a  mystery  which  men  of  sound  judgment  have  yet  to  solve. 
Mind  is  the  only  thing  with  which  we  are  acquainted  that  evinces  in- 
telligence. Therefore,  all  intelligible  manifestations  are  to  be  referred 
to  that  source.  A  brain  and  a  mind  are  two  distinct  things ;  the  first 
is  the  medium  through  which  intelligence  is  transmitted,  the  second  the 


100 


agent  transmitting  it.  The  brain  itself  cannot  think,  any  more  than 
the  hand  or  the  foot ;  and  when  the  mind  is  onco  entirely  detached 
from  it,  it  is  a  common  clod,  ready  to  bo  claimed  by  the  great  law  of 
nature,  that  resolves  all  bodies  to  dust,  and  makes  mutation  the  order 
of  the  universe. 

Even  providing  the  brain  could  act  automatically  while  connected 
with  its  legitimate  propelling  power,  how  could  it  manifest  its  intelli- 
gence extrinsical  ly  or  outside  of  itself — at  any  distance,  more  or  less? 
It  requires  an  extraordinary  stretch  of  credulity  to  believe  that  what 
mind  usually  performs  with  the  brain,  the  brain  can  perform  without 
7nind.  And  the  assumption  goes  much  beyond  this ;  for  it  is  made 
to  rap,  tip  tables,  write  without  hands,  and  spell  connected  communi- 
cations. 

If  the  mind  of  a  human  being  can  leave  the  body  long  enough  to 
go  into  an  adjoining  room  and  write  over  half  a  page  of  letter-paper, 
or  trace  a  single  letter  of  the  alphabet,  the  fact  proves  the  immortality 
of  the  sold,  and  renders  the  assumption  too  strong  to  bo  doubted,  that 
a  mind  released  entirely  from  its  connection  with  the  body,  as  at  death, 
can  do  the  same  with  even  greater  ease  aaH  facility. 

STATEMENT   OP   ROQERS'  HYPOTHESIS. 

These  phenomena  require  certain  physical  conditions  and 
physical  agents  ;  therefore,  these  conditions  are  the  causes. 
They  require  force^  and  force  is  a  natural  agent. 

Answer.  Force  implies  will,  ■will  implies  intelli- 
gence. It  requires  physical  conditions  and  physical 
causes  for  a  human  being  to  deliver  a  discourse  ;  ex- 
treme cold,  heat  or  exhaustion,  or  a  malformation  of  the 
organs  of  speech,  would  prevent  him,  though  he  might 
be  intellectually  capable.  Hence,  if  this  reasoning  is 
correct,  preaching  is  no  evidence  of  mind,  but  is  merely 
automatic  action,  dependent  on  od  force,  electricity,  etc., 
and  produced  by  mechanical  force. 

Admitting  these  phenomena  to  be  produced  only  by 
imponderable  agents,  back-brain,  etc.,  yet  people  in  this 
way  receive  facts,  ideas  and  names,  whereof  they  were 


101 


previously  ignorant.  Then,  on  tho  same  principle,  mani- 
festation of  human  intelligonco  can  bo  produced  by  tho 
same  causes  ;  consequently,  no  intellect  exists  —  we  are 
all  appearances.  Let  even  this  be  admitted,  yet  it  does 
not  set  aside  the  fact  that  wo  receive  ideas,  facts  and  names, 
from  each  other  previously  unknown  to  their  respective 
recipients,  and  derive  benefit  from  this  (supposed)  inter- 
course with  other  human  beings,  just  as  if  we  all  really 
existed ;  which,  according  to  tho  automatic  theory,  we 
do  not.  If  natural  forces  can  originate  intelligence  pro- 
fessing to  be  superhuman,  they  may  also  cause  what  pur- 
ports to  bo  from  human  beings  in  the  body.  We  have 
no  proof  that  a  letter  wo  receive  is  from  our  friend,  on 
this  hypothesis,  as  it  may  be  the  product  of  our  own 
mind  psychologized.  We  might,  on  this  principle,  argue 
that  when  we  speak  to  a  friend,  and  receive  a  reply,  it  is 
only  from  our  own  back-brain  r  but  what  of  that  ?  It 
would  not  prove  that  social  intercourse  is  of  no  advan- 
tage, even  if  only  imagination.  The  circumstance  of 
the  supposed  respondent  being  visible  or  invisible  proves 
nothing  as  to  the  source.  People  say  they  see  and  hear 
spirits  ;  and,  if  that  is  a  psychological  phenomenon,  why 
may  it  not  be  one  that  we  see  any  onCj  or  exist  at  all  ? 
Supposing  that  supposed  spirit  intercourse  is  all  a  psy- 
chological impression,  or  produced  by  physical  causes; 
what  then  ?  We  derive  advantage  from  it,  —  we  think 
and  feel  that  individual  spirits  do  communicate  with  us, 
and  more  words  cannot  obliterate  realities. 


ire 


Mr.  Dods  has  refuted  himself  as  follows  :  "  Let  the 
mediums  step  into  a  room  —  not  touch  the  table  at  all, 
and  then  cause  it  to  be  tipped,  raised  or  moved,  and  the 
work  is  done.   For  one,  I  am  a  convert." 
9* 


102 


This  has  been  repeatedly  done.  See  preceding  pages 
and  following  extract  from  letter  written  by  Thomas  Nei- 
bert,  of  Natchez,  Miss.,  to  Gov.  Tallmadge. 

*  *  "  Again,  we  have  had  rapped  out :  '  Lay  fifty  pieces  of  paper 
in  a  locked  cupboard,  and  we  will  write  on  them.'  In  less  than  half 
an  hour  there  was  a  communication  of  at  least  ten  lines  on  each  piece, 
and  each  communication  perfectly  characteristic  of  the  individual  pro- 
fessing to  communicate. 

"  We  have  the  remains  of  a  table  broken  all  to  pieces  by  a  spirit  pro- 
fessing to  be  Samson.  Not  one  person  was  near  it.  The  table  being 
near  the  wall,  commenced  moving  as  we  came  into  the  room  to  form  a 
circle,  and  moved  until  I  came  to  about  the  middle,  when  the  spirit 
commenced  breaking  it;  and  the  floor,  when  he  got  through,  was  a  per- 
fect sight  to  behold,  all  covered  with  splinters.  The  whoL  company 
(some  ten  or  fifteen,  all  sceptics  except  myself)  were  perfectly  con- 
vinced." 

Were  these  men  nW  "psychologized,"  Doctor  1  Are  the  splinters, 
still  kept,  permanent  phantoms  engendered  in  the  "  back-brain  "  ? 

Whoever  this  spirit  is  that  assumes  so  strong  a  name,  his  deeds,  we 
hope,  will  testify  that  he  has  some  right  to  do  it,  either  natural  or  ac- 
quired ;  and  that  he  will  keep  on  until  he  carries  away  the  "  brazen 
gates  "  of  the  Gaza  in  which  materialistic  superstition  has  entrenched 
itself.  .^  . .  ^  ■:■■'.., 

Those  who  cannot  at  once  see  the  gross  absurdity  of 
Dods'  conclusion,  will  get  further  light  on  the  subject 
by  reference  to  Courtney's,  wherein  he  is  completely  re- 
duced to  his  original  element  —  gas. 

EXTRACT   FROM   NEWSPAPER  ARTICLE   ON   DODS'  EOCK. 

I  mention  what  seems  to  me  its  first  and  all-sufiicicnt  error.  «'  Vol- 
untary "  and  "  Involuntary  Mind."  •'  Voluntary  Mind  "  wills  and 
acts,  is  conscious  of  what  it  wills  and  wills  it;  but  "Involuntary 
Mind,"  a  mind  that  wills  and  don't  will ;  can  will  and  can't  will ;  a 
mind  with  an  inability  to  will,  or  not  to  will.  Willing  without  willing. 
Two  minds  !  Why  not  three  ?  Put  in  a  "  mind  "  that  makes  the 
brain  grow.  Or  say  four  minds !  and  let  one  have  the  power  to  carry 
a  man  bodily  through  the  air,  and  enable  him  to  walk  on  water,  as  has 


',     'i-. 


103 


been  done ;  and  where  is  our  warrant  to  suppose  a  change  has  occurred 
in  the  laws  of  mind  from  that  day  to  this  ?  If,  then,  there  is,  more 
than  ever  do  we  need  a  new  dispensation,  fitted  for  these  laws  of  mind. 

The  best  "scientific  "  (?)  explanation  of  the  raps  yet 
written  is  the  following,  from  Parker's  American  Journal. 

The  only  true  and  legitimate  mode  of  accounting  for  the  taps  is  the 
physiological  effect  of  the  membranous  system.  The  obtusencss  of  the 
abdominal  indication  causes  the  cartilaginous  compressor  to  coagulate 
into  the  diaphragm,  and  depresses  the  duodenum  into  the  flandango. 
Now,  if  the  taps  were  caused  by  the  rogation  of  the  electricity  from 
the  extremities,  the  tympanum  would  also  dissolve  into  spiritual  rinc- 
tum,  and  the  olfactory  would  forment,  and  become  identical  with  the 
pigmentura.  Now  this  is  not  the  case.  In  order  to  produce  the  taps 
the  spiritual  rotundum  must  be  elevated  down  to  the  spiritual  spero. 
But,  as  I  said  before,  the  inferior  ligament  must  not  subtend  over  the 
dignitorJum  sufficiently  to  disorganize  the  stericletura. 


WHO    ARE    INFIDELS  ? 


SEPARATE    THE   SHEEP    FROM    THE 
GOATS. 


RICHMOND,  DODS,  ROGERS,  RELiGIOUS  (1)  ANTI-SPIRITUALISTS,  AND  AVOWED 
INFIDKLS,  versus  CIUUSTIAMTY,  S.  R.  RRITXAN,  W.  S.  COURTNEY,  AND 
MODERN   SPIRITUALISM. 

Dods  was  a  Universalist  minister  ;  his  hobbies  are 
mesmerism  and  electricity  ;  so  he  wants  to  make  them 
the  cause  of  spiritualism.  "  Misfortune  brings  us  ac- 
quainted with  strange  bed-fellows;"  accordingly,  the 
clerical  and  orthodox  opponents  of  spirit  intercourse,  in 
their  dire  calamity,  after  attributing  the  phenomena  to 
Universalist  contrivance,  are  glad  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  aid  of  a  Universalist  preacher  to  assist  in  "putting 
it  down  "  (?) ;  he  is  the  most  successful  opponent  because 
iie  nearly  adopts  the  spiritual  theory.  Dr.  Richmond 
consistently  denies  the  spiritual  origin  both  of  the  Bible 
and  modern  spiritual  intercourse  ;  while  S.  B.  Brittan 
his  opponent,  editor  Spiritual  Telegraph,  contends  for  the 


104 


spiritual  origin  of  both.  So  completely,  however,  has  Dr. 
Richmond  failed  in  maintaining  his  position  (though  a 
keen  and  practised  disputant),  that  the  editor  of  the 
New  York  Times,  with  that  candor  and  courtesy  so  char- 
acteristic of  most  opponents  of  the  manifestations,  as- 
serted that  it  was  a  got-up  affair.  The  editor  of  the 
Tribune,  however,  proved  the  contrary,  having  intro- 
duced them  to  each  other,  and  Dr.  Richmond's  opinion 
having  been  previously  known.  Dr.  Rogers,  in  his 
answer  to  Beecher,  has  left  the  scriptural  argument  un- 
touched, thereby  tacitly  admitting  that  his  conclusions 
point  to  a  total  disbelief  in  all  spirit  agency  —  to  Deism 
in  its  grossest  form. 
Rev.  Charles  Beecher  says  of  the  automatic  theory : 

It  cuts  up  by  the  roots  large  portions  of  the  prophetic  scriptures. 
It  declares  that  •'  the  true  seer  seeks  not  the  divine  in  the  trance," 
and  that  "  all  revelation  that  pretends  to  come  from  the  spiritual  vrorld, 
only  on  condition  of  its  passage  through  an  automatic  medium,  is  im- 
possible, and  its  pretension  a  libel  on  the  name  of  spirit,  and  a  reproach 
on  the  character  of  divine  wisdom."  But  was  not  "  Saul  also  among 
the  prophets "  ?  And  was  he  not  an  "  automaton  medium,"  when 
"  the  Spirit  of  God  was  upon  him  also,  and  he  went  on  and  prophesied 
till  he  came  to  Naioth,  in  Kamah,  and  stripped  off  his  clothes,  and  fell 
down  all  that  day  and  that  night"?  Did  not  Peter  "fall  into  a 
TRANCE,  and  see  heaven  opened,  and  a  certain  vessel  descending  "  ?  etc. 
Was  not  Daniel  a  true  seer,  and  an  "  automaton  medium,"  when,  after 
a  three  weeks'  fast,  he  saw  a  vision  his  attendants  saw  not,  lost  all 
strength,  and  "  heard  the  voice  of  his  words,  in  a  deep  sleep,  on  his 
face  on  the  ground  "  ?  "Were  the  sublime  glories  of  the  Apocalypse  a 
reproach  on  the  character  of  the  divina  wisdom,  because  John  saw  them 
for  the  most  part  while  "  in  the  spirit,"  and  his  body  lying  "  oj  vixQot " 
on  the  surf-beaten  -^gean  shore  ? 

If  a  theory  be  adopted  everywhere  else  but  in  the  Bible,  excluding 
spiritual  intervention  by  odylio  channels  in  toto,  and  accounting  for 
everything  physically,  then  will  the  covers  of  the  Bible  prove  but 
pasteboard  barriers.  Such  a  theory  will  sweep  its  way  through  the 
Bible,  and  its  authority,  its  plenary  inspiration,  will  be  annihilated. 


'^3 


105 


Oa  the  other  hand,  if  the  theory  of  spiritual  intervention  through 
odylic  channels  be  accepted  in  the  Bible,  it  cannot  be  shut  up  there, 
but  must  sweep  its  way  through  the  wide  domain  of  *'  popular  super- 
stitions," as  they  are  called,  separating  the  element  of  truth,  on  which 
those  superstitions  are  based,  and  asserting  its  own  authoritative 
supremacy.  ;  v 

Those  who  say  they  believe  that  Jonah  lived  three 
days  in  a  fish's  belly,  that  the  old  prophets  saw  angels, 
were  carried  by  spirits,  healed  the  sick,  etc.,  on  the 
testimony  of  a  few  men  who  have  been  in  the  spirit 
world  for  centuries,  refuse  to  believe,  on  the  testimony 
of  thousands  of  living  witnesses,  that  occurrences  much 
less  startling  take  place  now,  thus  verifying  the  remark 
of  Christ,  and  vindicating  their  spiritual  lineage  from 
those  who  in  a  former  day  "  strained  at  a  gnat  and  swal- 
lowed a  camel."  They  believe  on  hearsay ;  but  the  evi- 
dence of  eye-witnesses,  and  even  of  their  own  eyesight, 
is  deemed  insufficient,  when  it  comes  in  contact  with 
their  previous  opinions.  Can  they  be  sincere  ?  Reli- 
gionist opponents  of  spiritualism,  at  least  be  candid  and 
manly  ;  down  with  your  false  colors  !  up  with  the  black 
flag  of  infidelity  !  Epicurus,  Hobbs,  Voltaire  and  Car- 
lyle,  are  your  real  leaders,  though  you  profess  to  fight 
under  the  Banner  of  Christ  and  his  apostles.  A  sincere 
Sadducee  may  be  respected,  but  a  canting  Pharisee  ! 
faugh  !  Stamp  God  our  Father  under  your  feet !  kneel 
down  before  the  idols  you  have  set  up  !  Od  force,  elec- 
tricity, mundane  influences,  and  the  automaton  brain, — 
these  are  thy  gods,  0  shamming  slaves  of  sect ! 


106 


APPENDIX. 


COMMUNICATION   FKOM   TVM.   -WISHART.      A.   CBIDGE,    MEDIUM. 

Aim  at  the  highest  mark.  Run  for  the  greatest  prize.  Seek  for  the 
richest  pearls  of  wisdom.  Knock  at  the  gates  of  the  spirit  land,  and 
they  will  be  opened.  Ask  of  your  heavenly  Father,  and  joy  and  peace 
are  yours.  Remain  not  in  the  slough  of  despond,  in  the  mire  of  stupd- 
ity,  in  the  beaten  track  of  tradition,  while  the  green  pastures  and  still 
waters  of  the  spirit  land  are  basking  in  the  beams  of  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness, and  are  open  to  the  weary  and  travel-worn  wayfarer  in  life's 
path.  Why  do  ye  hunger  and  thirst  in  the  deserts  of  selfishness  and 
the  quagmires  of  sensuality,  when  the  tree  of  life,  bearing  all  manner  of 
healing  fruits  (Rev.  22),  lies  within  your  grasp  ?  *        *        * 

Be  calm,  candid,  quiet  and  temperate.  Seek,  then,  to  commune 
with  spirits,  and  the  gentle  influences  of  the  spirit  land  will  refine  and 
ennoble  you.  It  is  not  to  the  learned,  the  great,  or  the  wealthy,  that 
these  things  are  open,  but  to  the  earnest  seeker  for  spiritual  truth  and 
practical  good.  Let  not  the  fear  of  ridicule  or  the  terrors  of  church 
discipline  awe  those  who  would  investigate,  or  prevent  developed  mediums 
from  defending  truth  that  they  ♦*  know  and  have  seen."  Remain  true 
to  the  faith  you  have  received  evidence  of,  and  confident  in  the  hope  of 
a  glorious  resurrection  of  the  race  from  the  depths  of  sensuality,  sel- 
fishness and  scepticism,  by  intercourse  with  the  spirits  of  the  "  loved," 
but  no  longer  "  lost,"  that  are  gone  before.  All  that  is  beautiful  and 
elevating,  all  that  is  heart-stirring  and  sublime,  all  of  calmness  and 
peace,  shall  be  the  lot  of  those  who  arc  true  to  the  light  that  is  in  them, 
and  open  tc  the  truth  that  is  around  them,  and  the  love  that  will  de- 
scend on  them  from  above.  The  "  fruits  of  the  spirit "  shall  bo  mani- 
fested copiously  as  rivers  of  water  in  the  spring,  and  the  millennium  will 
commence  whenever  and  wherever  these  manifestations  are  freely  re- 
ceived and  fully  acted  out. 

directions   for   tub   development  of  MEDIUSrS   FOR  THE   HIGHER   MANI- 
FESTATIONS,  BY   W.    WISUAUT,    TUUOUGH   A.    C. 

Keep  free  as  possible  from  all  impurity  and  excitement,  mental  and 
physical.     Especially,  abstain  totally  from  drugs,  alcohol  and  tobacco; 


f 


.""%>. 


APPENDIX, 


107 


V 


¥ 


tea,  coffee  and  flesh  are  usually  detrimental,  but  some  good  mediums 
use  them.  The  grosser  kinds  of  flesh,  such  as  fat,  gravy,  pork,  etc., 
should  be  dispensed  with,  the  body  kept  clean  by  constant  ablutions, 
and  the  spirit  of  love  control  the  actions.  Abstain  from  contro- 
versy and  excitement ;  all  around  should  be  congenial :  these  condi- 
tions, though  favorable,  are  not  invariably  requisite.  Music  of  an 
elevating  character,  such  as  may  be  found  in  the  Spirit  Minstrel,  is 
useful  in  refining  the  organism,  so  as  to  render  it  open  to  higher  influ- 
ences and  to  counteract  discordant  ones.  Association  with  mediums 
further  developed,  and  with  other  congenial  persons,  is  also  eflicacious. 
Contact  with  uncongenial  persons  should  be  avoided.  While  sitting 
for  communications  there  should  be  no  loud  tones  or  disputes  among 
persons  present ;  solitude  is  better,  and  a  few  better  than  many ;  quiet 
and  harmony  are  the  elements  in  which  the  higher  spirits  live.  Where 
several  mediums  are  together,  the  influence,  other  things  being  equal, 
is  more  powerful ;  thence  one  good  result,  among  others,  from  spiritual- 
ist communities.  Developed  mediums  can  usually  ascertain,  by  asking 
the  spirits,  who  is  a  medium,  and  of  what  kind. 


BY   ALFRED   CRIDGE. 


Tipping  mediums,  the  most  common  kind,  can  be  readily  developed 
by  sitting  with  a  tipping  medium  already  developed,  at  a  small  stand ; 
with  two  tipping  mediums  would  be  better ;  by  gradually  substituting, 
on  the  stand  or  table,  the  hand  of  the  neophyte  for  that  of  the  more 
developed  mediums,  the  former  would  soon  be  developed. 


REV.    W.    WISHAKT   ON   SOCIAL  REFORM. 

As  long  as  the  mass  of  believers  (in  spirit  intercourse)  live  in  the 
old  selfish  way,  progress  will  be  comparatively  slow ;  they  must  give 
practical  evidence  of  the  superiority  of  their  faith  to  that  of  others ; 
this  can  only  be  done  to  a  limited  extent  in  society  as  now  constituted. 
It  may  not  be  desirable  that  all  should  leave  their  present  position, 
but  viany  should,  to  form  nuclei  for  large  communities.  The  guerilla 
warfare  is  well  in  its  place,  but  a  regular  army  is  needed  to  give  com- 
plete efficiency.  It  is  almost  time  to  stop  putting  new  cloth  on  old 
garments ;  there  will  be  enough  half-breds  left  behind  to  keep  the  old 
social  organization  in  a  constant  ferment,  and  enough  membeis  of  spir- 
itualist communities  detached  from  time  to  time  to  carry  on  ofi"ensive 
operations ;  but  every  thorough  spiritualist  should  have  a  home  among 
his  kindred.    Individual  sovereignty  is  well ;  unity  is  better ;  purity 


108 


APPENDIX. 


ia  indispensable ;  but  love,  guided  by  wisdom,  will  fuse  them  in  one 
homogeneous  mass.  We  shall  shake  the  old  social  organization  to  its 
centre ;  we  will  shiver  it  in  fragments ;  we  defy  opposition ;  we  court 
inquiry ;  we  scorn  intimidation ;  we  know  our  mission,  and  we  cannot 
fail.  We  are  not  omnipotent,  and  cannot  control  conditions ;  but  we 
know  what  wo  can  do,  and  the  future  is  not  hidden  to  us.  Arrest  the 
hurricane,  defy  the  earthquake,  drive  back  the  rail-car  at  full  speed, 
by  standing  in  its  way,  but  think  not  to  stop  our  work. 


,  "    »:lH 


LINB8  COMMUNICATED  THROUGH   CHARLES  RAMSDELL,  OF  WOBURN,  PUBPORT- 
INO   TO   BE  PROM   AN   ARMENIAN   SPIRIT. 

0 !  do  not  bow  where  bigots  kneel. 
Nor  tamely  cringe  beneath  the  rod ; 

But  look  to  yon  bright  vault,  and  feel 
Within  your  hearts  to  worship  God. 

God  is  your  Father,  and  when  stom 
Of  sorrow  cloud  earth's  dark  career, 

0 !  ask  no  priest  for  creed  or  forms, 
By  which  to  reach  your  Father's  ear. 

Away !  away !  H  is  all  in  vain  ; 

For  never,  never  can  you  bind 
The  false-begotten  bigot's  chain 

Around  the  God-created  mind. 

Thy  pathway  yet  shall  be  the  sun. 

Yon  rolling  orb  thy  path  shall  be; 
And,  with  the  uncreated  One 

Hold  converse  through  eternity. 


vX 


f 


FSTCHOMETRIC 
HEADING    OF    CHAliACTER. 


Gl'lRANTEE  AfttllVST  FRAIIU. 


«   »«»    > 


MRS.    ANNE    DENTON    CRIDGE 

Can  give  the  charauter  and  description  uf  any  jicrNon.  on  rcoci[it  nf  u  »iM'eiinL'u  of 
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As  a  niean.s  of  ascertaining,  with  precision,  the  character  of  any  one,  in  reference 
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alile. 

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KT  ES  ^W       -W 


ON 


^|)irituali.sni  aiib  Sotial  Jlcfonn. 


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AaTUU.\DIN(J    FACTS.      I!y  Da.  (iim)i,i,v.      Im  cents. 

CIlAPiLE-S  ILOFEWElili ;  or,  Societv  .\s  rr  i?*,  .\.\n  .\s  it  suoild  hk.  By  John 
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A.  CRID6E,  St.  John,  N.  B.,  Agent  British  America. 


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Kcecher,  Kofenini;  the  l^vfeatations  of  the 
By  John  S.  Auams.  -  Price  6  oeata. 

A4ilfnlft  fron  the  Ocfnn  of  Troth.  *Au' Autheutio  and  Intensely  Intantatbg  Naria- 
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the.  Influeiice  of  Man  on  Earth  over  the  Departed.     With  Introduotot 


Review  <(f  the  €orcini$ittn  of  Bev.  Chiule^ 
Present  Tiifte  to  the-Agonoy  of  Evil  Spirits. 


By  JouM  S.;  AiMuav 


1^^  lFb6  above  is  just  published.     Price  25  cents. 

jcraboun" 


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mds  with  pnssapes  of  the^&ost  thrilling  and  interesting  nature.  The  words  of  the 
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A  Letter  to  tlie.Chcst)iiit4tr|K  C«ngreg«iiloiuil  Church,  Chelsea,  M&ae.,  in  Reply  to  its 
Charge  of  having  beooBte  a  Reproach  to  the  Cause  of  Truth  in  jConseqienoe  of  a  Change  of, 
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llM  "MlalArj  «f  Auirels"  Bealizrd.  A  Letter  to  the  Edwards  Congregational  Church, 
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The  authors  of 4lUti  letter  were,  at  the  timeof  its  writing,  nnd  for  many  years  previouffly, 
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A  Unlew  of  th«  iQilgrisms  of  th«  €oi|?res»tt{iiu)iBt  pn  the  "  Lei 

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